Wide Awake
by cinematic daydreams
Summary: When Kim wakes up from a coma in another life, she's told that her life was the dream from her coma, and that her life is another one altogether, one that she cannot remember. This Kim Crawford is the opposite of who she is, the mean popular girl. All Kim wants is her old life back, with the friends she thought she had. Who will help her find herself and put pieces back together?
1. Chapter 1: Unwanted Memories

**Author's Note:**

_This idea totally just came to me in a dream. I know. Doesn't that sound pretty cliché? I'm normally totally against this writing-two-stories-at-once thing, but I'm going to make it work. Unlike other stories, this one came completely out of the blue, so I have no idea what in the world is going to happen. I'm just going to go with the flow with this one (: If handling two stories becomes a handful, like always, maybe I'll put it on hiatus or something. Well, unless you guys don't want me to ;) And just to say, this story's going to be in Kim's point of view, and maybe I might sneak in a chapter in Jack or one of the others._

_This, for sure, is not going to be like other stories where Kim awakes from a coma and then she has to try and remember the gang and yada-yada-yada. It's completely different, almost the other way around. You won't understand until you read the chapter._

_I don't want to reveal too much. Just read and enjoy (: hopefully the first of many satisfying chapters. _

_**DISCLAIMER: **__I do not own Kickin' It or any of the songs mentioned in this chapter._

**. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .**

A source of lightness broke through pitch-black darkness. The light was blinding, burning sorely through my eyelids, that my eyelids snapped open, and I could feel my pupils dilating, but I could not get my eyes to adjust. As soon as the light had reached me, so did pain. I could feel my brain pounding hard and achingly against my skull. My eyes closed again, but I forced them open again.

I could feel my temperature rise. My body felt as if it were on fire. I tried getting up, or moving a limb, but it felt impossible. Every time I blinked, my eyes began to grow heavier and heavier, and my head began to throb even harder. I tried wiggling my toes, but that too, seemed to make this experience even more agonizing.

I don't remember waking up in the morning being so _painful_.

The light started to fade and move away from my view – thank God – and an unfamiliar face replaced it, blinking down at me. I could see it was a male, and the only other thing I could recognize about this figure was a white coat dressed over a blue … shirt?

"Kimberly?" the low voice of the face called my name. It seemed to almost cause my eardrums to shake painfully, bringing my ears great discomfort. "Can you hear me?" Why was my body feeling so weak? And who in the world was this person, why were they shining some light at me, and why were they in my bedroom? "Kimberly?" The voice said again, but I couldn't respond at all. The pain had taken over my body in such a way, I could not move at all.

My eyes fluttered closed, but I didn't fall into slumber, therefore I could still hear my surroundings.

"Well, this is the first sign of consciousness she's made in a week," I heard the same deep voice say to somebody else that should have been in the room. "Last week, her hand moved, and muttered something in her sleep but her eyes were still closed. Her opening them is good. It's a good sign."

"Thank goodness," I heard a female voice respond, which was vaguely familiar. "Any other news, doctor?"

"Now that she's on the brink of coming around, we don't know how severe her brain may have been affected," the voice, which I assumed, was the doctor said. "Judging by her X-Rays, which weren't the greatest, the least damage could possibly be a temporary memory loss that could last up to about several months, due to estimations."

"But Kim's okay?" The female voice said, a bright tone starting to shine through her voice.

"She seems to be doing great, I must assure you, Mrs. Crawford," The doctor said. That's who it was! My mother! "But I'm afraid that's all we know for now. All we can do now is just pray she wakes up."

Wait. If there was a doctor, then I obviously wasn't in my bedroom at all. I could be in the hospital! Oh, who am I kidding? I _am_ in the hospital! But why? And what were they talking about? I could definitely feel that there was something wrong with my brain severely. I couldn't move at all. My body wouldn't respond. It even slightly hurt breathing, my chest becoming tighter each time I inhaled a breath. Something must have happened, then, for me to be in this condition. _What_ had happened, though?

I wanted to scream, tell them that I was fine, that I was right here and that I could hear them. I wanted my questions to be answered. I hate feeling so confused. But I couldn't.

Instead, my body shut down, and I fell asleep.

**. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .**

My eyes fluttered open and I blinked. I turned my head slightly to the side, examining my whereabouts. I was in a hospital room, I could clearly see. There were chairs set beside my bed, but they seemed as if they had been recently used, due to their odd positions. I could see a heart monitor – _my_ heart monitor – and the lines running across the small screen, in sync with the beeps that were considered my heartbeats.

The pounding in my head had begun, but it didn't hit me as hard as it did the previous time. This time, it was almost bearable, like a very bad migraine.

I decided to decide my state by trying to wiggle my toes. I did so, and I succeeded on this attempt. It was painful, but it was endurable. I moved other body parts, like my fingers and my hands, and even my leg. I was able to, but with slow and hesitant movements.

"Kim!" I heard, giving me a little fright. I looked in the direction of the voice and saw a blonde nurse, standing by my bedside, smiling down at me. "How are you doing? I can see you're moving, and your eyes are finally open!" Where they closed for that long? "How are you feeling?"

"In pain," I managed to mutter, trying not to use my mouth too much while speaking. "Where are my parents?"

"They couldn't stay here by your bedside forever. They left for work a few hours ago, but I'm sure as soon as they finish up, they'll be coming back," the nurse said, and I saw her lift up a pencil with her fingers and she looked back at me, but her blue eyes were filled with more concern this time. "Do you remember your parents, sweetheart?"

I tried to nod, and I think the nurse took note of my failed gesture and wrote something down on the clipboard in her arms.

"Do you remember your family?" the nurse asked me and I nodded again, and she began to continue with her scribbling. "What's your last memory?"

"I was in my bedroom, going to bed," I said slowly, the pain of talking beginning to fade away slightly. My curiosity got the best of me. I couldn't just lie here while somebody with answers could tell me what on earth was going on. "Uh, ma'am, what happened to me?"

"I don't think I should be the one to break it to your, doll," she said, sadly. "But I'll get Dr. Bennett. I'm sure he'd be happy to explain your current condition. I'm going out for a sec. You need anything, Kim?"

I could feel my throat get a little itchy, as it had been for a long time. "May I please have a glass of water?"

"Certainly," the nurse smiled, a dimple appearing on her right cheek, and she got up from her seat, disappearing from sight, and I could hear her footsteps fading and then a door close.

I lay in silence – apart from the continuous beeping – until the nurse had come back, another figure with her, which I believe should have been Dr. Bennett. I recognized him. He was the doctor that had been speaking to my mother some time before. I don't know how long ago it must have been though.

Dr. Bennett's eyes widened at me with content and he stopped at my bedside. He was insanely tall, with dark gelled hair, and dark blue eyes. He seemed to remind me of Zac Efron. "Hey, Kim! I'm glad to hear you're awake, and that you can talk."

"Hi," I croaked, and I swapped a glance with the nurse, who looked at Dr. Bennett and cleared her throat.

"Kim would like to know what happened in her absence."

"Oh," Dr. Bennett's smile dropped, but he nodded. "Could you please big Kimberly and I a moment alone, Bertha?" The nurse, or Bertha, nodded, and turned her back to me, walking slowly out the room. When the door closed behind her, Dr. Bennett sighed a long sigh. "Kim, there's no easy way to say this, but … you've been in a coma for the past 5 weeks." My heart stopped almost, and I could feel myself started to suffocate slightly. "Obviously, you've regained consciousness numerous times, but not enough when contact could be made."

"How did it happen?" I asked hoarsely.

Dr. Bennett hesitated. "You were involved in a very bad car accident. Well … not necessarily. You were hit by a car, and the damage to your brain was severe." I WAS HIT BY A CAR? Dr. Bennett must have seen my eyes widen. "They've faced multiple charges and consequences I assure you, Kimberly. From what I've gathered, you're parents clearly aren't the ones to 'Forgive and Forget'." Doctor had a point there. Then he narrowed his eyes at me weirdly, as if I'd suddenly grown another head. It offended me a little. "Do you remember anything at all? The accident? Your friends? Your family?"

"I remember my friends and family, of course," I said. "But I don't remember the day of the accident. What I remember last is going to bed."

Dr. Bennett's eyes grew more concerned. "Are you sure? Because the X-Rays seem to speak differently …"

"I'm very sure, doctor," I said softly. He raised an eyebrow. "I remember everyone."

Dr. Bennett's lips curved into a smile. "Well, I guess that's good then. Why don't you get some rest, Ms. Crawford? And we can figure out everything else when your parents return from work." I nodded, and shifted to my side, attempting to fall asleep as I heard Dr. Bennett leave the room quickly.

I wonder if in all of the time that I've been here, the guys had bothered to come and visit me at all. Even if it was just Grace, or Kelsey. I decided to ask later, when my parents had gotten back. I thought it would be hard to fall asleep, considering my head was so sore it's not even funny, but I just closed my eyes and dozed right off.

**. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .**

"Oh, my baby! I'm so glad you're okay!" My mother squealed, her hands tightening around me. I laughed and winced at the pain. My mother leaned away from me for a second, apologizing quickly for squeezing me to tight, but I was honestly fine with it. I'd realized how long it had been since I'd actually hugged them. Five weeks is a freaking long time, even though, to me, it had felt like just several hours since I'd last hugged them.

"Move over, Connie!" I could hear my father below from her side. "Let me hug my daughter!" My mother laughed as she let go of me and I felt my father embrace me tightly, but I decided to put up with the great pain I was starting to feel. You'd expect me to be in way more pain, but Bertha had luckily given me a high dose of painkillers, which seemed to take effect immediately.

I'd woken up a few minutes before my parents arrived, and that was when Bertha gave me the pills. In that short period of time, Bertha had also gotten me a pudding cup to eat, even though I didn't feel hungry at all, but I'd recognized I had gone pretty thin.

When I first saw my parents, I was amazed at their expressions, at how longing they had to see me awake. They looked so happy. I'd never seen them this happy about my existence, ever. I must admit I kind of liked the attention.

"She remembers us, Dwight," my mother said to my father, a grin spreading wide across her face. Then it dropped as she looked at Dr. Bennett, who had a big brown envelope in his hands, and he was looking down at them, in concentration. Those must have been my X-Rays. "How is that possible, Dr. Bennett? You said to us the least damage caused could be temporary memory loss lasting for months! How is it that she remembers us?"

"I have absolutely no idea," Dr. Bennett said, shaking his head. "It could be a good thing, but then another bad thing altogether. I'm hoping that it's good, though. But there has to be some sort of … glitch. These X-Rays look pretty hectic." Oh Lord.

"But let us focus on the good, why don't we?" My father suggested as he parted from me finally.

"Why don't we just ask her a few questions?" Dr. Bennett suggested with a small smile. "Just to make sure."

"My daughter just awoke from a coma, Dr. Bennett," My mother protested, her voice rising. I instantly wanted to face palm, but laziness got the best of me, so I just leaned back into the bed, and folded my arms. I guess I was going to have to get comfortable. "She's in critical condition! And you would like to interrogate her while she's in such a state! What is this? CSI?"

"Connie, calm down," My father put his fingers through his auburn hair. "I'm also very against this idea, but he just wants to place a diagnosis. What if there's something gravely wrong with our daughter and we just walk around, thinking she's okay but she's actually dying."

"Dwight! Can't we just cherish this time we have with our daughter?" my mother shrieked.

"You make it sound like she's on the verge of death!" my father spat back, and Dr. Bennett thankfully cleared his throat before the scene could get anymore frantic.

"Mr. and Mrs. Crawford," Dr. Bennett breathed. "I would just like to diagnose Kim."

"I'd like to know what's wrong with me too," I said. I deserved my day. "Mom. Dad. Chill. Please."

My mother sighed and looked at my father with a sad smile. "Well, I guess a few questions won't hurt."

"I was kind of saving this until you were present," Dr. Bennett stated. "Since you may have an idea of her interests, and school sports, who are and aren't Kim's friends, and all of that." Dr. Bennett looked at me and smiled. "So, Kimberly, what do you do for fun?"

"Oh, um," I stuttered. "I do a lot of things. I cheerlead at school; I'm captain of the team. I do karate in my extra time as a …"

"Karate?" My mother and father both exclaimed in horror. "Karate?"

I raised an eyebrow at them. Don't they remember? "You know. The dojo at the mall. Bobby Wasabi."

"You don't do karate, honey," my mother said, shaking her head and settled her hand onto my forearm. I looked at her, my mouth wide open. YES. I DO. What in the world is going on?

"Yes, yes, I do!" I said, sitting up straight, ignoring the pain shooting through my back and I threw my arms hysterically into the air, in protest. "I do karate at The Bobby Wasabi Dojo!"

"Honey, what on earth are you talking about?" My father said, his face inching closer to mine.

"She doesn't do karate but claims she does?" Dr. Bennett raised his eyebrow, scribbling down on the brown envelope, and then looked at me. "Kim, do you do karate?"

"YES!" I shouted at him accidently. He looked slightly taken aback but then nodded. The beeping of the heart monitor started to speed up. I did do karate. I'm sure of it! I've been doing it my whole life.

"So, Kim, who are your friends?" Dr. Bennett asked.

I gulped. "Well, it's Jack, Jerry, Eddie, Milton …"

"Honey, who are those people?" My mother asked, even more alarmed than she was before. "Oh my god."

"What do you mean 'who are those people', Ma? Just a few days … or weeks ago, you had them over for dinner with Grace and Kelsey as well," I told her. She _had_ to remember. Why were my parents so confused? These were my friends! It was either they were confused, or these seriously weren't my parents. First karate, and now the guys?

"You don't speak to Grace anymore, Kim," My father said, wincing a little.

"Yes, I do," I corrected him. "Grace is my best friend."

"There's something wrong over here, definitely," Dr. Bennett sighed. There couldn't be! What was happening? Who are these people? They're not my parents! My parents encouraged me to do karate, and my father was very fond of Milton. How could he not remember him? And what about Rudy? My father and Rudy have fished together before. _Fished_. My father loves fishing.

Confusion was an unsettling feeling that I currently possessed. I knew my own life. My parents knew who my real friends were. What was wrong, then? What in the _hell_ was happening?

"Mom? Dad?" I questioned them and they looked at me, and I saw tears in my mother's eyes.

"We'll have to take Kimberly in for another cat scan," Dr. Bennett stated. "Only after then, we can give a definite diagnosis." As soon as the sentence left his lips, my stomach shifted, nauseating feeling.

_**Two Weeks Later …**_

When I entered my bedroom, I stopped my tracks and sighed. This _wasn't_ my bedroom. My room wasn't this _pink_! My parents knew I hated the color pink. The pink walls sent a sick feeling to my stomach, but I fought the urge to vomit. Even if I didn't like pink, it didn't matter.

Because for all I know, the real me liked pink.

And I'm not me right now, am I?

"Welcome home, honey," my mother squeezed my shoulders from behind me, and then I felt her arms wrap around my neck carefully. I gulped. If only she could hug me tighter. It would give me the opportunity to just die.

That's all I felt like doing now.

Dying.

Why didn't that car just kill me?

I would cry if I could, but I'd run out of tears. I'd cried too much at the hospital, when nobody was around. Yes. That's right. I cried. I never cry. But after finding out the cold and horrid truth, I don't know what I am or who I am. For all I know, The Other Kim cries all the doo-da-day.

I opened my eyes again, after squeezing them shut, hoping this was some kind of terrible dream. But it wasn't. It was real. This was now my miserable reality. The reality I had to deal with. I looked around my rooms once more, seeing pink paint, white bed sheets, a blue dressing table with pictures stuck across the mirror. I also looked at my wall, which was filled with pictures as well, but not just pictures of me. I could see a Green Day poster from where I was standing. I exhaled. Well, at least the other me and I had the same taste in music.

"I'll let you explore," my mother said, giving me another squeeze before letting me go. "I'll be downstairs, making lunch for you and Amber. She should be finished any minute now, so when she does, I'm going to leave and go pick her up. Is it fine with you? To be left home alone?"

"It's cool, mom," I said, softer than I intended to. I looked at my mother as she nodded and planted another kiss on my cheek, before exiting out the – I mean, my – bedroom.

I sighed again and I could feel my lips wobble and my eyes water. But I fought. I bit my lips and blinked back the tears before they could fall. I took a few steps forward, near my bed. Before I knew it, I had jumped and landed on the comfortable surface.

Inhale, exhale, Kim.

I turned my body and stared up at the ceiling, trying to control my breathing. This wasn't me. I don't ever feel hopeless. I don't ever cry.

But yet, I did. I cried on that bed. I don't know for how long I was crying, but it must have been a long time, because by the time my head was pounding too hard for the tears to escape, I heard the front door close downstairs.

My mother was gone.

I got up from my bed, making my way over to my wall, full of bands pictures, and inspirational quotes. I'd always wanted to do this to my wall, but I was hoping to have a memory of doing. I guess it was better than having a unicorn painted onto the wall.

I saw the Green Day poster I had spotted earlier, and my eyes skimmed across the wall, seeing pictures of Taylor Swift, Coldplay, OneRepublic and the cast of Pretty Little Liars. I guess the other me had the same interests I did. Maybe this journey to finding myself wasn't going to be too hard after all. At least we were all hoping.

My eyes scanned across the quotes and then they landed on the dressing table, and I was focusing on the mirror, filled with my photos.

I shuffled over to the mirror, and I decided to start from the top. The first picture was of me as a little kid, playing in the sandbox, eating the sand, another hand, not mine, reaching into the sand. I looked at the little kid next to me and I felt myself smile. For the first time in weeks.

I recognized this picture. It was Grace and I, a picture that was taken on her 3rd birthday, which was spent at the park. I felt a sigh of relief escape my lungs.

I looked across the other pictures, which we just of me, a younger me, posing next to family members, or maybe next to statues that I remember seeing in my childhood. At least my childhood was the same. I'm glad I hadn't been brought up differently.

But then I felt my heart drop.

There was a picture of Donna Tobin and I, posing in front of a mirror.

Donna Tobin? The Donna Tobin?

I was a best friend of a rat? The girl I've hated ever since she spilt spaghetti on my shirt on the first day of high school, humiliating me in front of everyone. Un_freaking_believable. Well, I assumed, because there were loads of pictures of her and I. There was one where we were in matching outfits, dresses that seemed to be shorter to than what I usually wear. You could only expect that. In another picture, it was a group photo of her, Kelsey and I, laughing.

I skipped a bunch of the ones with Donna and I to one of Kelsey and I in chef costumes, holding whisks up as if they were weapons. I couldn't help but giggle at this. It was nice that there was something a little normal. My eyes skipped a row more, full of Donna and I.

The next picture appalled me. I could feel my heart speed up, sweat started to develop even more on my forehead. I put a hand over my chest, as if it could block out the sound of it pumping in my ears.

In a pink heart which I had seemed to cut out of red cardboard was a picture of Brody, his pearly whites smiling at me. My eyes stiffly travelled to the following picture, which could have possibly given me a heart attack on the stop. It was a picture of Brody and I, his profile shown, his lips resting upon my cheek. In the picture, I seemed pretty gleeful, smiling at the camera, my cheeks a very deep shade of red.

My eyes moved to the next picture, and my suspicions were confirmed. It was a picture of Brody and I once again, on a couch, next to Kelsey, looking as if though we were cuddling. I was shielding my face with my hands, and Brody was laughing at the camera, but seemed to be looking down at the blonde in his arms. Kelsey just remained next to me, also laughing, but her hand was trying to remove mine my face, maybe wanting to take a nice photo.

I couldn't believe it.

The Other Kim was in a relationship with Brody.

I started to shake my head frantically, ripping random pictures off the mirror, my anger level rising. I tore them, and they sprinkled onto the floor. I groaned in frustration, throwing yet another pile of pictures onto the floor.

This couldn't be happening! This couldn't be my life!

I marched towards another door in my bedroom and slammed it open, seeing a shower and a toilet. This must have been my bathroom. I saw the green and purple frilly decorations I had put. I pulled open my cupboard viciously, seeing my toothbrush, my hairbrush, my shampoo, my everything! It was all still the same! Then why wasn't I?

I could feel my blood boil, my head becoming hot. I could hear myself start hyperventilating, my breaths uneven.

I looked into the mirror in front of me, and saw my face. It was pale and dry, my hazel eyes weak and cold, just like how I was feeling inside. My blonde hair was pulled into a high ponytail, and I saw it had been about an inch shorter than it was previously. But what attracted my eyes most were the scars. The scars running down my neck, and the peculiar scar that I'd received under my left eyes.

I looked horrible.

I looked broken.

I looked _crazy_.

I didn't look like me at all.

I could feel my breath quicken, and I bowed my head in shame at the mirror, not bearing to meet eyes with the person that had possessed me, put me in this hellhole. I wasn't insane! I wasn't crazy! I wasn't mental at all! But according to the doctors, there was no other explanation.

I had officially gone insane.

DID, or Dissociative Identity Disorder, was what they diagnosed me with. They said it all made sense why I remember having different friends or a completely different mindset. Apparently, while I was in my coma, I had dreamt of having a whole other life, and I'd completely forgotten about my current one, therefore, I gained a second personality. They don't know how long it will last, but soon enough, I was supposed to remember. Remember everything. And this current personality that had possessed me would just go, disappear into thin air.

This me, the me I was right now, wasn't me. And it scared me to think that I was truly insane, like I was really crazy. I was, but I couldn't accept it. Something must be seriously wrong. I wasn't crazy. This, itself, was probably another dream altogether and I wouldn't know.

I needed something to make sense right now. Just somebody to talk to. My mother could never, my little sister Amber was far too young to, so I knew what I had to do.

I had to leave.

I made my way quickly and furiously out my bedroom, travelling fast down the stairs, and making my way to the garage through the kitchen. I opened the door and switched the lights on.

The blue light flickered a few times before a buzzing noise began. The garage was completely empty and grey except a few other tools that seemed to be lying around.

I saw my purple skulled skateboard – still the same skateboard I remember. I picked it up from the stone floor and set it flat, the wheel making a noise, just as it always has. I stood up straight and set my weight onto it, having a few test laps around the garage, seeing if I could still balance. I felt relief flush over me that I could still ride it. There was one thing of me that was still normal, and totally not insane.

I got off, making my way back into the kitchen and grabbing the keys that my mom had left on the table, using it to open the garage.

I was outside now, the clouds seeming thick and dead. I knew it was about to rain. But I had to do this. I needed to see a familiar face.

I closed the garage behind me as I skated out my driveway and onto the tar road, the wheels scraping against it as I rode. I could feel the violent winds blowing into my face, as if it were a sign, telling me to go back home. But I wasn't going to. I knew that doing this would be for the better.

I realized how long I'd been lost in thought and saw that I was already riding into the street. _His_ street.

I stopped at a mansion, the biggest house on the street. It was a modern looking household, and it was pretty big. It was the same, at least. Jack's family had always been pretty loaded, because of his grandfather, and of course, Jack's father was a lawyer, and his mother was an award winning artist, so it only made sense his house with this big.

I sighed, and got off of my skateboard, grabbing it and keeping it under my armpit as I walked towards Jack's front door. I inhaled and exhaled, hoping that he wasn't different, hoping that he was still Jack.

Then I rang the doorbell, and I felt as if I'd made some mistake. What if it wasn't him who was living here? What if they were some other completely random family? I shook away the stupid thought. Jack's mom's car was in the driveway, a silver Mercedes Benz. Why was I worrying? It was just Jack.

The opaque glass door opened, and my mouth dropped open at the figure in front of me. I was lost for words. Jack looked really different. Not like his usual self. He was dressed in a black Guns N Roses T-Shirt, and was wearing baggy black jeans, and black Vans. He was dressed so dark, so differently. He had Beats hanging from his neck, playing music so loud, even from my distance, I could hear.

"Kim?" Jack said oddly, raising an eyebrow. "What are you doing here? How do you know where I live?"

"Jack, please hear me out," I said, kind of out of breath. "I just … I needed to see you. I need to talk to you."

"Aren't you supposed to be in hospital or something?" Jack said, shaking his head slowly in confusion.

"I was discharged today," I said softly. Then I looked up into those brown eyes, the brown eyes that I fell for in my dream. They weren't different, thank God. His beautiful complexion was still the same. He still had his shaggy brown hair, with his dreamy eyes and those two little birthmarks on each of his cheeks. "Can I please talk to you inside?"

"Why would you talk to me?" Jack rolled his eyes. "What if Donna and her crew pass by and see you talking to the lonely loser?"

Lonely loser? "Jack, I don't know what to do," I said, my voice cracking and I could feel my eyes water. "I don't know who Donna and her crew is. I don't know anything anymore! All I have left are these unwanted memories and unanswered questions! I just needed to see a familiar face. I just needed to see you. I need to talk to you. I need someone to talk to, and right now, you're at the top of my list."

There was a little pause before Jack sighed. "Are you okay?"

"I'll explain everything if you let me in," I shrugged.

Jack hesitated but then opened the door wider. "Come in."

**. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .**

**Author's Note:**

_Well! I guess that's it! I know, this story seems pretty random and sad so far, and I wrote way more than I intended to, but I'm happy with the way the chapter turned out. If you're confused about Kim's condition, you can PM me and I'll explain further, or you can wait for the next chapter, in where Kim will explain her condition to Jack and they'll have a little … heart-to-heart, I guess. _

_Different to what I'm used to writing, but I'm glad to be writing this story. Oh, and in case you haven't noticed, this story is AU. I just couldn't fit it in the summary. Don't worry; the rest of the gang will be introduced in the next chapter as their new roles and stuff. This was more of an introduction, almost or a little like a prelude. A really long one at that. _

_Sorry for any punctuation or grammar errors and please review and share your thoughts (: I love hearing from people. Constructive criticism is welcome. I won't set a certain review point in order for my next update, because I hate it when that's done to me :\ But I do update quicker when I get many reviews (blushies). Since I am doing two stories at once, and I normally update three days or so later, I'll be updating each story once a week, or twice, if you're lucky. (:_

_Anyways, I guess this is the part where I end the author's note (: _

_In that case, guys, ciao! And don't forget to review (:_

_Nia (: x_


	2. Chapter 2: One Step At A Time

**Author's Note:**

_You guys are all so amazing! Seriously! I just had to update! And I will be going away for a few days… but that means I'll be back with a new chapter, already ready for you guys! And also for The Wasabi Games, I hope (:_

_I got a review asking if Jack was goth or emo or whatever XP No, he is not goth or emo or whatever, he just dresses differently than to what he normally wears on the show, and he's normally dressed … with color … this Jack also dresses fairly good (may I just tell you guys how obsessed I am with Jack and Jerry's shoes on the show! Oh my word! Okay. I'm done fan-girling) but he just wears dull and bleak clothes, adding onto his character._

_I hope the confusion has been cleared (: In this chapter, everyone else is going to be introduced, so yay for that! Well, I don't want to spill too much so I probably should just start._

_**DISCLAIMER: **__Unfortunately, for me, I do not own Kickin' It. _

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I was really thankful that he let me in. I felt the aura of the house surround me. It almost felt like my home away from home. I immediately came face to face with one of Jack's mother's paintings. It was of a blue water lily, and it really seemed to tie the color scheme together. I could smell the lavender scent in the air, an air that I was familiar. Jack's house had always smelt like this.

When I turned to Jack again, he was closing the door mind him, and he shoves his hands deep into his pockets, looking at the ground, and then back up at me. An uncomfortable silence was exchanged. My heart flipped as I looked into his eyes. I had always gotten so weak-kneed over those chocolate eyes.

Thankfully, the voice of Jack's mother had broken the silence, a voice that seemed to be very distant from our current stance. "Jack, honey, who was at the door?"

"I'll be right back," Jack said and walked passed me, his arm brushing mine in the process. I felt shivers creep down my spine, and I kicked myself, also trying to kick the horrid thought out of my head. This boy didn't seem to want anything to do with me at all. Jack hardly knew me at all, but here I was, in his hallway, just looking around at things I'd seen many times before. I sighed, and looked around awkwardly, waiting for the tall teen to walk back into my view.

"Who was at the door?" I heard Jack's mother say, from the direction in which I think is the kitchen because I could also hear chopping taking place – and I knew this house like the back of my hand.

"Oh, just a girl from school," Jack's voice said, mumbling.

"Ooh, a girl she is, isn't she?" Jack's mother said teasingly and I heard Jack groan. "So she's just a girl here to see you? No reason at all?"

"Of course there's a reason," Jack said, and I think I heard him shuffle. "I just don't know why yet."

Jack's mother squealed and then shouted, "OH MY WORD! ALISON, HONEY! A GIRL IS HERE TO SEE YOUR BROTHER!" I giggled at what I thought Jack's face might have looked like. He would be beetroot red with embarrassment.

"Mom!" Jack groaned, and I could hear stomping coming from my right, which I knew where the stairs were. I heard hectic shuffling coming towards my direction, and then a face that I had curious to see ever since I stepped through this door.

Alison Anderson was a very animated character. She looked exactly like Jack, the same eyes, the same face structure, and even the birthmarks. Her dark red-brown hair went up to her shoulders in cute pigtails. She was quite a short girl, considering she was only around thirteen, but from what I can remember, she was very mature for her age, apart from her obsession with boys and One Direction (or Harry Styles).

When she saw me, she squealed, and then she charged towards me and attacked me into a hug, and she squeezed me tight. I resisted crying out in pain. "Oh my gosh!" I could hear her continuously shriek into my jersey.

I saw Jack walk back in, and when he saw his sister attached to me, he rolled his eyes and reached forward, effortlessly grabbing her from me and placing her on his other side. "Ali. You don't attack the guests."

"It's a girl, Jack!" Alison shook her head, and crossed her arms. "And she's really pretty! You never bring girls home!" Then her eyes widened. "Oh my gosh! Is this a date? Am I interrupting on a date? I feel horrible …"

"It's not a date, hun," I told her, before she would swallow up all the oxygen available. "I just came here to talk to your brother."

"Oh, I'm being so rude," Alison said, coming towards me again and offering out a hand, which I took. "I'm Alison, but you can call me Ali, or Sonny, or Lis. I respond to all of them!" she said in her high pitched and fast voice. "I'm Jack's sister, obviously, and you're one of his pretty girlfriends, am I right? Not that he's a player or anything if you have your eye on him, but Jack claims to have many friends who are girls but never had the courage to bring them home."

"I'm Kim," I said after her mini monologue. "I'm sure your brother has a lot of friends that are girls."

"I hope he does," Alison said, her eyes rolling in her brother's direction. "Otherwise all these loves stories he's telling me are full of …"

"Ali! Leave the poor girl alone, and got back up to your bedroom and continue worshipping Zayn what's-his-face and the curly haired gay freak!" Jack said tugging on her arm.

Alison gasped dramatically, and a giggle escaped my lips. "You take that back! Take it back!" Alison attempted to claw at Jack, but he kept his hand on her shoulder firmly. He must be really strong. Oh, of course he was! He's Jack Anderson. When she was out of breath, she stopped and escaped from Jack's grasp and huffed, flipping a messy bang out of her face. "You better thank the Lord that there is a girl in this house, because I'm pretty sure if there wasn't, you'd have been skinned alive for insulting my future husbands." Jack rolled his eyes as Alison looked back at me and smiled. "Nice to meet you, Kim. Good luck. You'll need it.' And with that, Jack's sister gracefully made her way up the stairs, fixing her hair while keeping track of the steps.

I felt my lips curve into a smile. I'd missed the craziness of this home.

I must have looked crazier than intended, because before I knew it, Jack was looking at me strangely. I told him that it was a pretty long story that I was about to tell, and Jack just nodded, and we made our way into his lounge, the TV was set on _Nickelodeon_, I could see, and an unfamiliar show was playing. I looked at Jack questionably, but he just shrugged as if to say _It's An Alison Thing._

I sat on Jack's white couch and sighed, the miserable feeling suddenly coming back to me.

"Please excuse my crazy family," I heard Jack say from next to me. I put my head in my hands and sighed again, groaning. "So what are you doing here, Kim? If you want me to do your homework for you, I suggest you just forget about it. I'm not that kind of person."

"Well, I'm not that type of person either!" I said frustratingly, and then I heard something that probably kicked me in the gut. I heard Jack laugh. I then regretted coming here in the first place. When I told him what had happened to me, he was going to laugh at me, make me feel even crazier than I actually am. "I'm serious!" I raised my voice, and Jack's laughter stopped. "Please just stop," I begged, and I could feel my throat choke up.

"Hey, Crawford, I was just messing around," Jack said, and then I sat up looking at the brunette and saw him shrug apologetically.

There was a little pause before I exhaled and decided to just tell him. "You're probably going to think I'm insane for saying this, judging by our current relationship, but … you're my best friend Jack."

Jack raised his eyebrow at me, his face twisting into an expression of confusion, and also a hint of disgust. "Excuse me?"

I gulped but I continued anyways. "I'm not here to ask for you to do my homework – or any of that crap. I'm here to get my best friend back."

Jack's other eyebrow rose as well, and a stunned look had taken over Jack's features. He let out a low whistle and shook his head, also rolling his eyes. "Kim. You don't know me. I don't know you. What in the hell would convince you that we are – or have ever been – best friends? C'mon. We're not even acquaintances. Yesterday you would have rather eaten a snake than throw a second glance at me, but now you're here, in my house, claiming you're my best friend? "

"But I do know all there is to know about you," I said, pleadingly. "Just let me prove it to you …"

"This is bullshit," Jack said, obvious venom coming out with his words. He shot up from his seat, and started to look around. Oh no. "Is this some kind of joke? I bet you Brody's probably going to pop out of my curtains yelling 'GOTCHA', ain't he?"

"No!" I exclaimed and I shot up to Jack's level.

"Then why else would the Great Kimberly Crawford be standing in the Anderson household? Huh?" Jack asked, his face becoming red with fury. I'd always known he had a temper, but he wasn't one to blow his top this quickly. I guess this Jack was different. Well, the real Jack was different.

"Who is she?" I screeched, and I heard my voice echo. I needed to scream. I needed to shout. I know I shouldn't have done it there and then, but I couldn't help it. "Who is Kimberly Crawford because I don't know? I don't know anything anymore! Jack – I would never hurt you. But you don't understand. Nobody does! I feel like I'm going to go crazy! I'm waiting to land up in bed, and this could all be a dream but I can't! I don't know how to escape! Everything I know is a lie – but you aren't! I just need to talk to somebody, before I really do go insane."

I choked out an unexpected sob, and then I felt the tears started to stream down my cheeks, and more sobs escaped my throat. My vision blurred and I sank back down onto his couch, before I could fall over. I cried into my hands, only seeing darkness, but then I felt a hand on mine and I looked up to see a concerned Jack. "I'm sorry," I sniffed, wiping my eyes with the back of my sleeve, and I let out a shaky breath.

"I should be the one apologizing," Jack said softly. "Kim … what's going on?"

"I'm a nutcase," I told him honestly. He looked as if he didn't believe me for a second but then I spoke again, and his expression turned back into concerned. "No, I'm serious. You know I got hit by a car, right?"

"Well, that's what Donna and Kelsey are telling everybody," Jack shrugged. "Why? Did they lie?"

"No, they didn't," I said, shaking my head. "And they didn't tell anybody that … I was in a coma?"

Jack's mouth dropped open. Yeah. Guess they had neglected that part of very important information, didn't they? I was mad, but then I was glad at the same time, but now as soon as I get back to school, questions will be asked, rumors will be spread, and other complete lies will be told. "I'm so sorry," Jack said, rubbing my arm. "I had no idea."

"… Me neither," I chuckled dryly, but Jack's face remained serious. "Why else would I be in the freaking hospital for seven weeks during school time? It really doesn't take that long for wounds to heal." I looked at Jack. "Can you please just listen? And make no judgment at all?" Jack looked hesitated. I would believe keeping this Jack's mouth shut would be an absolute question, but I could see that he was going to because he had pity for me. He nodded.

"… While I was under, I had this dream, this dream that has clearly convinced me that that was my life. In that life … I was a best friend to you, Jerry, Milton, Eddie, Grace and Kelsey." I could see Jack fighting back a smile. I giggled. "Is it that queer?"

"Quite," Jack let out this really odd hissing sound instead of a laugh.

"Anyway, back to the life story. Well, we were all friends, and we all did karate at the mall, opposite Falafel Phil's, at The Bobby Wasabi Marital Arts Dojo. You know, like karate. And then I remember going to bed and then waking up in the hospital, and apparently, I'd been hit by a car and developed DID during my coma."

"DID?" Jack asked questionably.

"It's a schizophrenic disorder," I said shakily and his face almost dropped, but he tried to keep his serious expression, and I felt his hand on my back, giving me a pat. "Yeah. You heard it. I'm schizophrenic."

"You don't seem different … or crazy," Jack said, as if he was struggling for the right choice of words.

I shook my head. "It's not like that," I said, sighing. "Apparently, who I am now, is a different personality that my brain had developed during the coma. The doctors said that one morning, I might wake up, the personality that I was, or the memories would come flooding back … or … I'm stuck like this forever."

"Do you want to go back to your old self?" Jack asked, looking at me in an intense matter.

"Hell no," I exclaimed. "I hate who I was – or am. I'm friends with Donna! I don't even like her, like, at all, but apparently, I'm her best friend." I looked at my lap and sighed. "Jack … am I a bitch?" This seemed to humor the brunet, because he was laughing. Jack's laugh was kind of toxic, contagious in a way, and before I knew it, I was laughing with him.

"Yeah," Jack said, dying down from laughter. "You are a piece of work. I wonder how Brody controls you." Jack must have seen my expression change and then he cleared his throat. "I guess I should tell you about a few things about yourself, shouldn't I?"

"That would be nice," I said, nodding, and I kept my ears open, because now it was Jack's turn to talk.

_**5 Days Later …**_

I checked everything in the mental checklist that was in my head. I was sure that I was ready to emerge into those school doors as the Kim everybody expected me to be. According to my mother, Donna's mom came to pick me up every morning for school, so I had to be ready by a certain time.

I took longer than I thought, for sure. I guess I must have been a slow changer. Keeping up my usual image was certainly a challenge, but thank God I'd packed my bag the night before.

I looked in the mirror, the mirror that I'd been avoiding for days, and I let out a slow and calm breath, satisfied with my result. I looked really cute. With the information Jack had given me, it made sense that there were very short and revealing clothes in my cupboard. All I did was to look a lot like Donna, and that was simple, because Donna hardly put any clothes on, even in the fall.

It didn't looked as if I'd been in an accident at all, thanks to all the make up. I looked at my blonde hair, which had been straightened and tied back into a low ponytail, my bangs hanging loose. I'd put on a dark green pencil skirt, over black leggings, a white tank, heels and a beige cardigan. It was more fancy than to what I would usually wear (jeans, Converse, etc.) but this was what everybody was expecting, so this is what I was going to give them.

I hope I wasn't too behind on my classes, considering sophomore year had started without me, but thanks to my English teacher, a few days last week, I was able to understand what we were currently learning for each class, and I'd also quickly paged through all of my textbooks, and I had also received my class schedule. Everything was in order. I had nothing to worry about.

_Be A Donna Wanna-Be. _

Jack's words had been hovering in my head the whole morning … but it wasn't only his words. It was _him._ I think it was totally sweet of him to listen to me and offer to help with this whole mix up. He said he didn't think I was crazy at all. He said that he preferred me, the girl who could go five minutes without insulting his choice of dress than the other girl, the girl who was running Seaford High with Donna at her side.

I'm sure he thought inside of his head that I was a little insane, considering how I broke down in front of him, although he seemed to deny it and called me "only human".

Jack was pretty deep, I guess. He was very insightful – more insightful than I remember. You could hardly ever get a smile out of him, I heard from Alison, and he was obsessed with music. It was kind of interesting to see him in a darker light. He's not the intimidating dude because he does karate, but just by him looking at you, it's as if you killed a dog. He was intense and mysterious.

I've got to admit – it was kind of hot.

I'd been thinking about him too long. I shook the thoughts out of my head and grabbed my coat, just in case it got chilly, and then I went out my bedroom door, heading down my stairs for breakfast.

**. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .**

When I came out my front door, I saw blue BMW parked out on our driveway, and I saw someone leaning again the car, twiddling her thumbs at the phone in her arms. When the girl looked up and saw me, she grinned, and ran over to me carefully in the heels she was wearing. It was Donna.

Her hair looked different. I could see she had gotten blue streaks, and she kind of looked good. Her outfit (or what was left of it) was also blue. So what does she do? Dye her hair a different color every freaking day? I resisted from rolling my eyes as Donna arms flew around me neck when she reached me, and I squeezed her back, remembering to keep my act together.

When she parted from me, she grabbed my face and kissed my cheek, squealing. I followed her lead, smiling widely. "Oh my gosh! Donna!"

"Oh my gosh! Kim!" she said, hugging me again before grabbing my wrist and dragging me to her car hastily. I followed her inside and saw her mother, Denise. We hadn't had many encounters, but based on Donna and I's relationship, I was probably considered her second daughter. "You don't know how much I've missed you, doll!"

The car started to reverse already, before I even closed the door. Denise turned her head to me, and she winked. "Hey, Kimmy. How are ya?"

"I'm fabulous," I said, putting my French tote bag on the floor of the car, and I crossed my legs gracefully. "And what about you?"

"Oh you know the usual," Denise smiled, and then her head turned again, focusing on what she was doing. Actually, I didn't know the usual. "How are you feeling?"

"Way better," I said, nodding. I did. The pain from my head had almost disappeared completely, and according to Dr. Bennett, I was recovering miraculously fast.

"I love what you're wearing today, Kim," Donna said, nodding in approval at me. I couldn't help but feel a little proud that I was doing her justice. _Be A Donna Wanna-Be_. Ugh. Why was Jack still in my head? "So chic!"

"I don't even look half as good as you do," I told her, but obviously, I was lying.

"I know," Donna said, flipping her hair and returning her attention back to her BlackBerry, typing crazily on it. I wanted to take her head and twist it right round. But I resisted it. This Kim Crawford only had bark, and no bite. Maybe I was used to this, her being so self-centered. Donna looked back up at me, her eyes wide with awe. "Guess what?" Ugh. I didn't feel like guessing.

Apparently, Donna was single once again. She was previously dating the lifeguard she'd told me about (obviously, I don't remember), but he cheated on her with some "whore" from New York. She wanted to make if official that she was on the market and she pronounced it by changing her Facebook status.

It was a painful drive to school, listening on and on to Donna's soap opera she called her life. When we pulled up into the dropping zone in the parking lot, Denise opened the doors for us and I opened the door, and I could taste the sea. SEAFORD HIGH SCHOOL, the building said. I was back at school, back at the place, which I considered Hell, but now I couldn't wait to start my school year.

"Goodbye ladies," Denise called out her window after we closed the car doors. The car drove off almost immediately. I was kind of startled by the sudden gust of air and nearly fell over, but the heels saved me.

Donna offered out her hand. "This is the part where we walk into school together," she smirked, and I hooked my arm into hers as we started towards the school. Al eyes were on us, boys whistling our way as we walked passed them. So this was what if felt like to be royalty, having people store and stare in a good way. I was quite surprised by the way I was feeling, because I didn't like any of this one bit.

I felt my blood pumping as the glass doors opened up. I was really nervous, and I could feel the pancakes that I had eaten slowly making their way back up the pipe. I stopped it though, and I breathed in and out quietly, taking calm breaths and soothing noises. Everything was going to be okay.

I made my way to my new locker, which had surprisingly the same that I'd had during my life. Relief seemed to wash over me as I got to the locker, saying hi to a few people I didn't even recognize on the way. Donna looked at me sadly and put a hand on my shoulder. "I'm afraid my locker's way far away from here, next to the science lab" Donna shuddered. "Well, I'll see you in Geography, darling. Kiss, kiss." Donna placed two French kissed on each other my cheeks before turning around, heading the direction of her locker.

"Toodles," I called after her, and she turned her head, smirking at me. Thank God she was gone. Her voice was beginning to annoy me.

I tried my combination three times before I finally got in and smiled. The smell of it was the same as it had always been. I put all my unnecessary books into it, reciting my schedule in my head. The first class I had was History – oh, joy – and then I had Life Sciences afterwards. I don't know if I had those classes alone or not, since I hadn't seen Kelsey yet. I pray she was in the same History class as I was. I at least wanted a little comfort.

Suddenly, I felt my butt cheeks being squeezed, and I whipped around and saw a familiar brace-faced African-American kid. I smiled. It was Eddie.

"Excuse me, Kim, but did it hurt when you fell from heaven?" Eddie said, nudging me gently with his elbow. I couldn't help but giggle at this. He smiled, proud of his success. So in this life, I'm assuming Eddie was the ladies' man. "Well, your lips look pretty lonely. Would they like to meet mine?"

"Those lips belong to me, thank you very much," I heard from next to me, and turned my head to see Brody. Whoa. He shot up. He actually looked pretty good. He'd gotten a slight haircut, and he was dressed in green and purple. I couldn't help but kind of stare. He was more attractive than I remember. Maybe faking my love for him wouldn't be so hard after all.

"What about you, Kelsey?" Eddie winked at my friend, who had been standing next to Brody. She was also in a very revealing outfit, but it was more clothing that Donna bothered to put on. She looked really pretty. "You want somma this, don't ya? I can see you're very tempted."

"In your dreams, meatball," Kelsey rolled her eyes, smirking at Eddie … almost flirtatiously.

"Your loss," Eddie smiled before making his way back to a group of friends, who cheered him on as soon as he got back to them. He seemed happier and more confident than I can remember. Hey. Not always a good thing, but I was happy he was happy.

"Hey, Kim," Kelsey said, shuffling forward in her boots to give me a hug. "Sorry I'm late. You wouldn't believe what happened … you know what, never mind. If it weren't for your prince charming, I'm sure by now I'd be in the woods, and I'd suddenly look very appearing to rapists everywhere." Oh yeah. That was Kelsey, all right. My heart warmed up, just as it did when Jack had let me into his house.

"Hey babe," Brody smirked, and I could feel my cheeks go red.

"Hey handsome," I said naturally. He took my hands in his and came closer towards me, looking down on me now.

"I tried calling you, seeing how you were," Brody said. "And I visit you in hospital with Donna and Kelsey, but you were still … out cold."

"My mom has my phone," I said truthfully. "I'm not allowed my computer either. Doctor said it might bring pain back." I pouted. "I missed you." Wow. I was really good at this.

"Aww," Brody cooed, before going all the way, and kissed me, right there, in that hallway. It was a sweet kiss, and a kiss that seemed to make me more confused than happy. I went with my senses and just kissed him back. I didn't feel any sparks or butterflies, or any of that cliché crap, but I could really get used to this.

"Oh God," I heard Kelsey moan. "Please just get a freaking room!"

"Mm," Brody said, and then his lips parted from mine. "What's your first class?"

"History, yawn," I rolled my eyes.

"Damnit," Brody said, doing this seductive half smirk thing. I could feel my insides melt slightly. "I have Spanish." He kissed me again before letting go of my hands. "Well, ciao, girls. I have a test to fail!"

"Bye," Kelsey and I chorused as the brunet boy walked off.

"Well, you're lucky I have History with you," Kelsey smiled. I sighed a sigh of relief. "I'm sure you don't feel like putting up with Grace all on your own." My stomach sank. Jack had told me about the horrible fall out that Grace and I had had, but he didn't know what happened, but according to him, we just came ripping at each other's throats one day during PE. I didn't want to not be her friend. I needed her more than ever now, but my previous self had screwed it all up.

Kelsey and I quickly jogged to History because my thoughts were interrupted by the bell. Mrs. Daniels was very cranky in the mornings, and from what I know, the woman has continuous PMS syndrome. I stopped in the doorway of the History classroom, my eyes widened in shock.

Jerry and a few others were busy dancing around a desk, which had a radio set on it. _Fancy Footwork_ was blasting through the speakers, and I could see Jerry shuffling, making cool movements with his neck and his torso. The people that were surrounding him were also quite good at dancing. They all were. It was as if Jerry had his own dancing clique. They were hooting and cheering, their bodies moving to the music as if they were in a trance. Jerry seemed even more preppy and fresh than usual. He looked … free.

Then there was something else that made my mouth drop to the floor. Out of nowhere, out comes Grace, her body moving majestically to the beats escaping from the radio. I didn't know Grace could dance. Okay. Maybe she did modern, but I didn't know she could dance like this!

"Go Gracie! Go Gracie!" The group started chanting.

"Earth to Kim," I heard from next to me, and I saw Kelsey looking at me a little freaked out. "What's up? Is everything okay?"

"I guess," Was all I could reply. Kelsey and I made our way to the front of the classroom, the row in front of the dancers. We'd gotten closer to their little party, and beyond my will, one of them stepped out of the circle, dancing up next to me. I was a little disturbed, but I just played along, moving in a regular jive motion. Kelsey raised her eyebrows at me and burst into laughter at my dancing, and I slapped her playfully. The song changed to _Turn Up The Music_ and everyone started jamming once again, only I stopped, meeting with the eyes I'd been afraid of meeting since I got into this school.

Grace Wexler.

She was wearing a crop top, which showed off her stomach, and she was also wearing grey leggings and Converse. She was dressed like dancer, for sure. Her eyes were looking at me, and I could see her nose tremble. Sheesh. Did I make her that mad?

I just sat down in my seat; ignoring the daggers the girl was still shooting my way. I got out my textbooks and an empty book before I heard a familiar voice from next to me shrieked.

"Gah!" I saw Milton in the seat next to me, and his head was turned to an angle that he could see the dancing teenagers. "Keep it down! Do you want Mrs. Daniels to see all of you?" Milton was still the same ginger nerd, with the same sweater vest and high pants style, and of course, his signature "gah" was groaned.

"Calm down, Milty," I heard Jerry say from behind me. "Don't studies show that music actually helps people learn?"

"That's classical music, you brick," Milton rolled his eyes. "Other kinds of music are proven to be a distraction. Now can you please turn it down?"

"Let me see … nope," Jerry said, laughter following.

"One day you'll regret dancing around to evil music that only points out the joys of sex than actually learning something from your classes," Milton mumbled. "Your days are numbered buddy."

"Exactly," Jerry said. "Ever heard of the phrase 'YOLO'?"

I sighed. Yeah. Jerry was still the same as well.

"Don't listen to him," I heard from next to the smart ginger, to see the face of Julie. Her comforting hand was on his shoulder, and she was smiling sadly at her mate … or boyfriend. Whichever he was in this lifetime. "I'm sure he'll get detention. Would serve him right."

I looked at the doorway, something else catching my attention. It was a tall guy with Beats over his ears. Jack looked rather stylish today. Instead of all black, he was wearing a grey jersey, which looked really good on him, I must admit.

I blushed when he caught me staring, and he smiled at me, and I couldn't help but smile back.

"He's delicious, ain't he?" Kelsey said from next to me. "Mm, mm, mm. Look at how those jeans fit his a …" but Kelsey didn't finish, because just then, Mrs. Daniels entered the classroom in a rage. The plump teacher started shouting at Jerry and his crew to switch off the music and get to their seats. They finally did, after five long and silent minutes. I wanted to look back at Jack, just to catch his eye once more. But I had to be careful, because I already had a guy.

In this chair, it felt so wrong, so out of place. And that's when I made my decision.

Kimberly Crawford was on a mission.

I was going to get the gang back together.

**. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .**

**Author's Note:**

_And there you have it! Second chapter done (: I don't think it's too bad, but I promise the next chapter will be better, and will be way more exciting, as it is Kim's first attempt in getting the gang back together!_

_REVIEW. I love them almost as much as I love all of you :') Please tell me your thoughts and stuff, maybe things on what I could improve on. Sorry for any errors mad ein this chapter, because down here, it is really late and I am poofed, and I also have an early flight tomorrow. Yawn. _

_Well, to all the fellow Americans, happy July 4__th__! I hope you have a good one. Would pay just to see fireworks around here right now :P _

_Keep amazing, you lot!_

_Nia (: xx_


	3. Chapter 3: The Pinky Swear

**Author's Note:**

_Hey everyone! Hope I'm not too late with the update and stuff. Anyhoo, thanks again for the amazing reviews! They really make my day and they motivate me heaps (: So thank all of you for the reviews, alerts, favorites, everything!_

_I really don't want to distract you guys from this awesome chapter (: so I'm just going end this unnecessary author's note. Enjoy the third chapter of Wide Awake (:_

_**DISCLAIMER: **__Don't own Kickin' It, and probably never will, sadly. _

**. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .**

**KIM**

I'd thought long and hard about this, but I realized that Jack was probably the first one that would agree and maybe help her out with getting everybody back together. Peace making was one of his skills, whether he's this Jack or the other Jack.

I ran the doorbell, looking at my feet. I'd changed out of my outfit and changed into something more chilled, more like me … well, the current me. I looked down at my ballet flats and waited for the door to open. I was hesitant to ring it again, but as I reached out to once more, I saw the door open and I smiled.

Jack's mother smiled back at me. She was in an apron and currently had jeans and a shirt on, which were stained with paint. She had remained the same. She was about the same height as me, her hair dyed a platinum blonde, and I could tell by her brunette roots. Her eyes differed from her children, and were a piercing green. "You're the same girl that was over yesterday, aren't you?"

"Yup," I said, kind of disappointed that she didn't know me. _Of course she didn't!_ I offered out my hand politely. "I'm Kim."

"Bree Anderson," she said, shaking my hand. "I'm Jack's mother, obviously. Oh dear, I'm sorry. Come in!" Bree moved out of the way, letting me inside of her household. I entered again, and I smiled even wider. The energy in this house was so calming, unlike mine, which was currently filled with confusion and tension.

Then something caught to my attention. I could hear loud music being played from somewhere distant. The music could hurt a person's ears, it was so brutal. "You here to see Jack, aren't you?"

"Mom, this math is really bothering me and I need help," I heard from a distance, and in expectedly came Alison, holding a book and a pen. She looked somewhat distressed, which was weird. But all of that emotion faded away from her face when she saw me and smiled widely.

"Why don't you ask Jack?" Bree asked, folding her arms.

"Do you think I'm crazy?" Alison exclaimed. "If I go into his room, he'd probably throw a guitar at me. I'm not taking that risk."

"Where is he, anyway?" I asked curiously.

"You here that?" Alison said, pointing up the stairs. "He's in his room, probably moping around about how hard his life is and stuff." I raised an eyebrow. "Not the best timing, I'll tell you, because he's on his period today …"

"Alison!" Bree interrupted, her eyes wide in shock.

"I can't lie and say that he's not!" I giggled at Alison. "He's in one of his moods because Dad called."

I remember Jack telling me about him and his father's relationship, which wasn't a good one, I'd assumed. Jack only mentioned him to me once, and the only word to describe him was "bastard". He wasn't around a lot, I saw. His parents weren't divorced, but still kept their distance, because they were having a lot of problems. I didn't ask Jack at all, of course, because it seemed to be a pretty sensitive subject for him. In my previous life, he dealt with it by beating into dummies. Well, I guess in this life, he dealt with it by putting his music way too loud.

"Would I be able to talk to him?" I said, ignoring the fact that Bree had stiffened at the mention of her husband. "I don't want to intrude …"

"Somebody's got to. He can't just sulk," Before I could decline, I felt Alison pull at my wrist. I wanted to shake myself off, and leave, pretend I'd never come, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. I got up the stairs, Alison still pulling me and we came to Jack's door. It was unusually bare. I was used to his KEEP OUT sign, but I guess I'm going to have get over it. The music was really loud, and it wasn't your typical Coldplay or something. I realized that blasting through the air was _Highway To Hell._ I nearly face palmed, but before I could, Alison banged her fist against the door.

"HEY JACKSON! YOU GIRLFRIEND IS HERE!" She shouted loudly. I was quite surprised all of that could come out of a little girl. When Jack didn't respond, she knocked again, harder this time. "JACKSON!" She bellowed. I looked at her, my eyes wide. Whoa. Easy there. When there wasn't a responce, she sighed and looked at me with pity. "He's not normally like this, trust me. Normally, he would be the only one hearing the music, but when he's mad, he either puts the music real loud, or he started smashing things." Oh. Well that was something new. Alison rests her hand on the handle and pushed it down, and the door opened. It was a Christmas miracle. "God thinks you should go in."

"Thanks," I smiled, my cheeks going a bit red for some odd reason. I let myself in, but I wasn't prepared for what I saw next.

Guitars.

Everywhere.

I'm not kidding.

I looked around his room, and I counted about ten. I looked around, seeing the posters on his wall, all of bands, some I've heard of, some I had not. The only person I could recognize was Elton John. His room had been painted dark blue, which I remembered as a kind of sea green. His bed was the same, his duvet just white and plain. I recognized that he still had his alarm clock, the one that _I_ broke in the previous life.

I couldn't take it. I put my hands to my ears, covering them, but they weren't blocking enough sound. The stereo on Jack's study desk, I saw, was on. That's where the music was coming from.

But where was Jack?

My question was answered.

A door from his room opened, and out came Jack and a few gusts of steam. Well, I guess I should mention why my palm slapped my eyes, and I let out a shriek. Jack was only wearing a towel around his hips. As much as I wanted to admire his beautiful torso and how good he looked wet, it was creepy. And the absolute least I wanted to do was creep him out. I managed to hit the stereo with my back, and the music stopped.

"I'm so sorry!" I shrieked, my eyes still covered. "I'm so sorry!"

"OH MY GOD! KIM!" Jack shrilled. "What the hell?"

"Alison let me in," I told him and I could hear him groan. "But it's also my fault for just coming in. I'm so sorry."

"Why are you here anyways?" Jack asked.

"I need to talk to you," I told him desperately. "Please just give me some of your time."

"Can I give you some of my time with _clothes on_?" he sounded hysterical. I could only imagine what awful thoughts he had of me in his head right now.

"Yeah," I said, coming to my senses. "I should really just leave and then I'll wait for you outside." I tried making my way to the door gracefully, but what an epic fail that was. I tripped over something, and I fell to the ground, moaning loudly. Ow. That really hurt. I'm glad I changed the heels.

I tried getting up, using the support of something, but then it collapsed. Oops. That was one of Jack's guitars. He must have thought I was a total klutz. I could hear him mutter, "Bloody hell". The next totally came as a surprise to me. I felt his cold and still slightly wet hands touch me, taking my arm. I felt really awkward as he helped me up, with only these words in my mind: do not grab anything.

"Did I break it?" I asked him softly, and I heard a growl, his breath tickling my neck. I could feel my hand become sweaty. God. Just the fact that he as touching me, basically naked was really weird. It got unearthly thoughts into my head, thoughts I forced myself to kick out.

"The door is that way," Jack said, pushing me in a direction. I stumbled and then he forced me to stop, and I heard the door open, a little gust of wind hitting my face.

"Holy sh …" I heard from behind me, and then I felt something beneath my feet and I nearly choked on air. That was Jack's towel. I stumbled out faster and quickly, landing on an unfamiliar surface, a surface that was not Jack's wooden floor. I heard the door close abruptly behind me. I figured it was safe to look.

I removed my hand from my face and saw Alison staring down at me, her cheeks puffed up, her face red. Then she burst out laughing and I just inhaled air sharply, and I felt my cheeks flush. Oh my word. That was pretty awkward.

**. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .**

I was sitting in the kitchen, on a stool, while Alison was busy pouring apple juice for me. She swore that she didn't do it deliberately. I don't blame her. Who can hear if he's in the shower with music that freaking loud? I was still pretty shocked and practically scarred. Yeah. We were supposed best friends or something, but I didn't feel close enough to him to see him, like, _naked_. What a weird thought that would be.

When Jack walked into the kitchen, I was in the middle of a sip, and I accidently spit some of my juice out, and Alison burst out laughing. There was certainly some kind of atmosphere in this room. I couldn't look up at Jack. Not after that. It was way too awkward.

"You two need to sort this out," Alison said. "I don't think Kim expected that. I don't think she knew she had to wear special undies for you. But if you guys are still in the mood for a game, I have handcuffs."

"Mother of God," Jack said, and I felt my face becoming hot very quickly. I looked up and saw him making his way over to Alison, and he pushed her out of the kitchen. "You are really sick! You are a sick child like that!"

"He's really flexible, Kim," Alison shouted after me. "He used to do gymnastics. But don't let that fool you! He plays rough!" Sweet baby Jesus. If it were possible to _die_ of embarrassment, right now, I think I would have fallen onto the floor, gasping for air, seeing the light. Alison was really something else. Yeah. She was mature. But not in a good way.

When I was sure she had left the room, I looked back up at Jack, and I saw his jaw clenched. "I'm really sorry," I reasoned. Then I shrugged. "But to be fair, you should have locked your door."

"That never happened," Jack said, making him way over to me, and he took the glass, taking a sip out of it. "We mention this to no one."

"Agreed," I said. I was glad that he'd wanted to forget about all of this. "Let's change the subject." I exhaled. "Jack … would you … be my friend?" I saw Jack smirk. "I know it sounds pretty weird, and I'm sure you would rather shave a monkey than me friends with you, but I would really appreciate it if you tried. Being friends with you and the guys is something I really want to do. I need you guys back in my life. Well, in this case, in my life, because you never were."

"Me?" Jack scoffed. "Friends with Jerry, Eddie and Milton? That's a really funny joke."

"I'm sure if I get you guys in the same room for just ten minutes, you'll realize how compatible you all are."

"Never!" Jack folded his arms.

"Why do you hate them anyways?" I asked him, feeling my eyebrow rise.

"Well, for one thing, Jerry thinks he's all that, with his horrible dance moves and his really thug-like vocabulary. Eddie's the same, thinking he can get around, pulling a hit and run, treating girls like some kind of chip packet, throwing them away once they've given them what he wants, and Milton's the one who hates me! He hates everyone! He complains about everything! Even about how loud my music is when they're headphones. I swear, that girlfriend of his is the only human in this universe that can get through to him!"

"Are you done with your little rant?" I saw Jack's glare harden, and I put my hands up in defense. "Wow. Jeez. Sorry." I hopped off the stool and kneeled in front of him. If this is what I had to do, I was going to do it. His eyes widened in disgust.

"I'm not marrying you!" he yelled.

Oh my word. "No! I'm not asking for that." I put my palms together. "I'm begging you."

Jack rolled his eyes. "Kim. Get up."

"Not until you agree," I responded.

"I'm out of here," Jack mumbled, and tried to take off. But I did what any teenage girl would do in times like these. I grabbed his ankle and wrapped my arms around them. He looked down at me shocked and tried to move with me still on his ankle, basically dragging me out of the kitchen.

"Jack! Come on! You have got to just trust me. You guys are going to be best friends," I said, but he shook his head. Jeez. He's difficult. "I'll do anything, Jack! Anything."

"For the last time, no. You may be mental but I'm not!" I felt as if I'd just been punched in the gut, and hard. I looked up at Jack and saw that he immediately regretted what he had said. Well, it was too late. The damage was done. I let go of his ankle and he froze, looking down at me. "Kim, I …"

I didn't have any other way to respond. I got up and marched. But no, I didn't march out the door dramatically, but I marched upstairs and then made my way into his room. "Kim! Stop!" I heard from behind me, but I kept going. He wanted crazy? Then he was going to get it.

I got into the room, looking around at his room. Look at all of this. There were thousands of things to break in here. The first thing I did was lung at his school bag, and then I emptied out all of his books onto the floor. When Jack saw me, he stood in the doorway, stunned.

I took a mug I spotted and I did it. I threw it at the ground and I broke it. Jack's face had drained all of its color, and he looked … breathless, and totally shocked. I took my arm, wiping it across his study and all of the books that were on it hit the floor. I made my way over to the stereo and took all of CD's (and there were a lot) and threw them onto the floor wildly. I pushed a few of the speakers, and they landed on the floor with a thud. I ripped a few of his pictures off the wall, and shred them to pieces. I saw a picture from of him and Alison, and my only instinct was to take it and throw it at the floor, it breaking into pieces.

Never in my life have I felt this much adrenaline pump through my veins. I had never been so angry. I could feel a headache begin in my head, but I wasn't upset at all. I didn't want to break down and cry. I wanted to break things. I wanted to break him.

I pounded the stereo, trying to break it. I took his duvet and ripped it right off his bed, throwing it across the room, and I shifted his bed in the process. I could hear growls of anger escape my throat. The last thing I could possibly do, before I started breaking the guitars, was pick up a CD case, ripped the CD out and I broke it into pieces, not even seeing which one it was. When I looked up, I saw both Jack and Alison standing at the door.

Alison looked stunned, and shocked at the same time. Jack didn't look anything. His face was emotionless, unreadable. I didn't care. I clenched my fists, heaving in and out my breaths. I was not going to touch the guitars. That meant paying. And right now, I couldn't afford messing up a few guitars. But if it weren't for that thought, I would have broken every single one of them.

"YEAH JACK. I'M MENTAL. I'M A FREAKING LUNATIC. I NEED TO BE IN A REHAB, DON'T I? I GIVE UP. I GIVE UP. I'LL JUST DO THIS MYSELF." I couldn't fight the tears now. I could think of all of the nicknames people would call me if they found out. This was just the beginning. Jack would tell everyone. I didn't know for sure, because this was not the Jack I knew.

I shoved past both of them, running down the stairs, headed for the door. Bree was at the bottom of the staircase, a paintbrush in her hand, which she dropped when she saw me. I could feel a sob escape my throat, and I made my way quicker out the front door, slamming it shut behind me. I saw my skateboard on the corner of the lawn. I hopped onto it quickly and I skated home.

I probably caused a lot of damage and I would probably never be allowed in that house again, but I needed to let out all of my frustration. Yeah. I shouldn't have done it on Jack, but he hurt me. Even though I wasn't his, he was still my best friend in my mind. It hurt that he said that. Right now, he probably freaking hated me, and I didn't want that.

What if, out of anger, he started telling everybody, and then I would have been called crazy everywhere I went? I didn't want that.

I didn't want any of this.

When I came home, I didn't speak to anybody and made my way straight to my room, stomping hard against the floor.

I cried myself to sleep.

**. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .**

**JACK**

I told them everything. They deserved an explanation.

Honestly, I think Kim just overreacted, but what I did wasn't cool either, I admit, but that gave her no right to smash one of my stereo speakers and break my limited edition Led Zeppelin CD.

I couldn't get her face out of my head though. So full of hatred, of sorrow. It certainly wasn't the Kim from two months ago, that's for sure. Then, Kim would have never shown any sense of weakness. Instead, she got the weakness out of others and it had somehow comforted her. Maybe seeing other people's problems made her think that hers weren't so bad. She used to be so mean. I'd kept distance from her, Donna and the others, making sure not to get burned. They'd call me emo, or they'd say I was lonely. Some of the jocks even said I was whipped.

But before they could have gotten to me with their spiteful words, I would have looked them in the eye, as if I were telling them to back off.

It's one of the few things my father taught me – to intimidate your haters before they could get to you. He used to look at me with those eyes, the eyes I give to anybody who passes me a second glance. I blocked myself out from the world. It was better that way. When I did, people wouldn't want to know my business. Trust me. It was better when they didn't.

"So you pissed her off, and she went all diva on you?" Alison said in the kitchen as I, her and mom were all busy doing the dishes together. "But shame. You shouldn't have called her that."

"She's very fragile right now, honey," my mother said, scrubbing grease off one of the plates. "Maybe you could have thought a little bit before you said that."

"He's a dude, mom," Alison rolled her eyes, wiping a dish dry before handing it to me to put away. I rolled my eyes and took the bowl, walking across the kitchen and putting it in the cupboard. Was I too hard on her?

"What I'm trying to say Jack is that you should apologize, and maybe … start fresh," My mother shrugged, as Alison put an already dry dish on the counter, ready for me to put away. "We are Andersons. You promised her that you would help her through this."

"I did it out of pity," I mumbled, truthfully. "I didn't mean to promise."

"Well look where not meaning to promise gotcha," Alison said as I took the dish off the counter, putting it away. "Jack, just talk to the freaking girl. I actually like her as well, you know. It would be pretty sweet if you two started dating."

"Alison," I groaned, shaking my head at her.

"What, is she ugly?" Alison smirked, and I gulped.

"No," I stuttered, and I saw Alison snicker, low fiving my mother. Well, Kim wasn't ugly. She was actually really pretty. You can call a girl pretty and not like her, can't you? "I just don't think she needed to go so mad."

"Not everybody switches on music when they're upset, Jackson," my mother said, washing her hands under cold water. We'd finished now. "Everybody has different ways of letting out something they've bottled in. Sometimes they just explode, completely out of the blue. And Kim happened to explode in your bedroom … or technically, in the kitchen, since she had to go to your bedroom. Sweetheart, you have no idea what she's going through."

That was the problem. I didn't. I don't know how to help her, or what to do. In her mind, I was her best friend, but she's not mine. I couldn't help but feel a little sorry. Nobody deserved to be hit by a car, and still go through so much pain after being saved. When I made the promise to her, it was out of completely pity. It's never nice seeing people cry, especially Kim Crawford. That's a once in a lifetime thing.

It flashed back into my head, her bursting into tears, her shrieking miserably as she took my posters off my wall. It made me wince, almost stabbing me in the gut. Yeah. I may be a bit heartless, but it didn't mean I didn't have a heart at all. In some twisted way, Kim really needed me right now. The least I could do is be her friend, and of course, help her find her friendship with the guys.

"She'll still be mad at you," I was brought out of thought by Alison's lone figure standing in the kitchen, slowly walking out. "But I hope for your sake you come up with something good enough for her to forgive you."

I really hoped so too.

**. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .**

**KIM**

"What are your thoughts on Jack Anderson?"

Donna dropped her fork, looking at me with a gaping mouth, her blonde hair flipping manically over her shoulder as she gasped. Kelsey put down her burger gracefully, but then picked up her napkin and pressed it against her mouth. God, was he that bad?

We were in the school cafeteria, two days later after I melted down once again at Jack's house. I'd decided to bring him up, just because I was curious. And maybe because a little part of me missed him, but what he did wasn't nice. He promised to help me with this. I guess not. He must have been too cool or too mysterious to care. I'd only finally realized how stubborn and heartless this Jack was. The other Jack would have never let anyone down.

I mentally slapped myself. _Kim, that Jack was not real._

"Jack Anderson?" Donna copied me, and then leant in closer, her eyes becoming narrow and saying with a whisper, "You're not … banging him are you?"

"Ew, gross," I said in disgust, and then mushed my features together, pushing the blonde back by the shoulders. "It was just a question. I'd never cheat on Brody." Kelsey looked at me, looking a little appalled, but then a smirk fell onto her lips.

"I'd give you props if you were, though," she winked, and I raised an eyebrow. Donna giggled. "What? Yeah. He may be a loser and stuff, but he's just so … sexy." It was my turn to nearly spit out my burger. "That hair of his, oh my word. And those eyes, how they just pierce right into your soul, but still manage to see straight through you."

"And plus, he has beautiful footwear. Not to mention his beautiful collection of V-Necks and … the point is, he is really attractive." Of course all she could think about was his clothing. Typical. Donna looked at me with fierce blue eyes. "Would you wanna? I'm sure he'd be happy to."

"What makes you say that? Everyone knows I'm with Brody, and they'd have to be retarded to even look at me while I am," I bit hungrily into my burger again, nearly getting mayonnaise on my new jeans, but I'd saved the drop from falling with my right index finger.

"Well then Jack's just gone full retarded," Donna sighed, pointing at something behind me. I turned my head to see Jack, sitting at a table, alone, of course. But he was staring at me with such intensity, and I thought I could pass out from it. His brown eyes nearly melted into mine, but I broke the contact by regretfully turning around to face my two friends again.

Wow. He looks really good in a beanie. And Donna was right about those V-Necks …

KIM. ZIP IT.

I flipped my hanging bang out of my face vapidly. "Wow. My hair must be looking really good today." It did, in my opinion, tied into a side pony. "By the way, Kelsey, I'm loving the waves."

Kelsey thanked me, and then we emerged into this really interesting conversation about hair. NOT.

**. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .**

I was by my locker, getting my books for my next three periods and then slipping them into my tote. When I closed my locker, I jumped back in fright, seeing no one other than Jack Anderson. Great. Just great.

I instantly turned on my heel, attempting to walk away from him, but then I felt his hand on my shoulder and I stood still, becoming tense at his touch. "Kim. Hear me out. Give me a minute."

I sighed. This better be good. I turned around to meet those beautiful chocolate pools of … Kim. Not now. It was so hard to stay mad at him. I could see the guilt in his eyes, as if he really cared. One thing I'd learnt in this new life about him is that he _doesn't._ "Thirty seconds," I stated.

He sighed. "Kim. I'm really sorry about what I said. I know things must be really hard for you right now, and you didn't need me calling you that. Yesterday, I was a complete and utter asshole, because I wasn't in the best mood, but it didn't mean I had to take it out on you. I want to help you, Kim. I'm an Anderson. I'm not a quitter. When I start something, I finish it." Jack's hand dropped from my shoulder, as his desperation started to show on the outside. There was a pause bet en us – a very we uncomfortable one.

I couldn't help but smile slightly. That sounded more like him. Then it grew. I offered out a pinky. "Do you pinky swear you'll help me get the gang together?"

Jack rolled his eyes and chuckled, intertwining his pinky finger with mine. "I promise. But no way in hell am I saying that."

"You know you want to," I saw in a low tone, and it came out more seductively than playfully. Youch.

"Pinky swear," Jack mumbled, and for the first time in this life, he smiled. It was a genuine smile, a friendly smile, a _real_ smile. The kind of smile that any girl in this school could fall in love with. "Well, we better get to class, shouldn't we? We could sit next to each other, maybe talk over plans?"

"I'd like that," I smiled, and then I offered out a hand. "I'm Kim."

Jack played along, taking my hand in his. "I'm Jack."

**. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .**

"_Please just hear me out!" A voice came from the darkness, which faded into a scene outside a Victorian household, the front yard surrounded with beautiful floral features that must have cost great fortune. Two unfamiliar figures come into the setting, one figure petite and feminine, while another was broad and masculine. The road that was set west of the house was empty and dark, almost like the night sky, which remained motionless. _

_You'd expect a scene like this to be very calm, very quiet. But it was anything but. _

_The noise erupts from the two figures as they began to argue, loud, not knowing they could be heard by a few. _

_The female was making hysterical gestures, shouting at the male with such anger and frustration. You could see how heated the fight was becoming as the voices became even louder, a "YOU JERK!" coming from the female, who you could now see was blonde in the darkness. _

_The guy, however, seemed completely calm, but in a sorrowful way, keeping his hands behind his back, his head bowing in despair. He barely even said a word. You could hear this words come out as whispers or hushed tones. _

_The blonde's anger seemed to drift away suddenly into thin air, and she broke down onto the gravel, her body shaking miserably in sobs, which echoed in the empty streets. The guy tried comforting the broken figure, but she reacted aggressively, jumping up, and beginning to march away from her opposite figure. He stops her, for only just for a second, then her arm swings forward, her hand coming into contact with his face. _

_The guy didn't move at all, and stood there, stunned at what had just happened. His hand touched his hurt face and the blonde girl stomped away. _

_The guy seemed to tense up and he threw his hands up into the air, yelling something at the blonde as she was making her way across the street. She stopped, and began to shout back, but took no notice of a black Hummer coming toward her, lights off, car spinning out of control._

_The car was coming closer towards her. _

_Time had become slow. _

_The guy seemed to see the car, seeing it making it's way clumsily down the street. He started to run, run faster than ever before, his feet practically being lifted from the earth. _

_The blonde only realized that she was in trouble once she saw the male running towards her, his feet moving so fast, it was if his legs had disappeared completely._

_Then she noticed the car._

_How fast it was moving towards her, how little the time she had left. _

_She tried to run fast as well, but before she could even process such a fatal thought, the moment was over._

_A crash echoed through the cold and moist air, and as soon as the echoes has faded, another sound was released. _

_It was a scream. It was a name. _

"_KIM!"_

**. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .**

**Author's Note:**

_Okay, so I lied, once again. This chapter didn't really have any of the guys in it, it was just a little Kick filler, and it contained something very important (: I'm sorry ): I've seriously got to stop lying to all of you. I'm a terrible person. But this chapter was seriously important, and it needed to be added, like, now. _

_A part of this chapter is based on a real event. I walked in on one of my guy friends, but he wasn't wearing a towel. O.o Don't know why I told you guys that, but I got a review asking for more Kick, and that was the only thing that I could come up with than having them become a little too close to quickly. _

_And I did a little bit of the chapter in Jack's point of view! :D I'm sorry, I had to. Otherwise the ending scene between them would have been too long. _

_If you enjoyed it, tell me. If you didn't, I'll be sad, but please tell me anyways? What to improve? Please tell me. What you'd like to see in this story? Please tell me. You know how you can tell me all of these lovely things? Through a very lovely REVIEW. I don't set a certain amount of reviews in order to update, but the more reviews I get, the faster I update (:_

_Anyhoo, please look out for the next chapter, which will be pretty epic, I'm telling you (: I have it all written inside my head, and the guys, whether the idea changes or not., will have the guys in it :D WHOO!_

_Well, I love you all! Stay amazing!_

_Nia (: xo_


	4. Chapter 4: Deep Thoughts

**GUESS WHAT DAY IT IS TODAY?**

Well, exactly a year ago, today, I joined FanFiction :D And now I don't know what I would do without it :') So, I decided to hurry my donkey up and update this story while I'm at it. (: I was going to do a one-shot, but it wasn't going to be finished in time, so I just continued with this.

As usual, all of you are so amazing, in every way possible, and thank you for all the beautiful reviews :') They really motivate me.

Just a quick note before I start about _The Wasabi Games_: Inspiration. That's what I need. I had an idea for the third chapter and it flew away. And now I can't find any inspiration to fill that missing idea. I am going to try updating that story before this one again. I'm sorry for keeping you guys waiting. I just really don't want to get the story on hiatus or anything, because I lose interest very fast.

Now that that is clear, I am ready to begin another chapter :D I got reviews requesting for some Brody/Kim/Jack drama, so I guess I should. Now that I think of it, I've been neglecting Brody. And I'm sorry about that.

And all of you seemed pretty confused with the ending of the last chapter. :D That's what I'd hoped! Stay confused :D

Well, enjoy! (:

_**DISCLAIMER: **__Don't even ask …_

**. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .**

**KIM**

It's been ten days since I had the dream. The dream I was really confused about. I wasn't sure if it was just some twisted nightmare, or if it was actually a memory. That thought was the one that scared me. What made it scary was that before ten days ago, I hadn't had a dream since the previous life. I would go to sleep, dream of darkness and then wake up. Nothing. But that dream really shook me, made me more uncertain than I was before.

Of course I had told Jack about this. Throughout the week, we'd become sort-of friends. More like secret friends. When I asked him why we couldn't just hang out normally in public together, he said it would ruin my reputation, and he didn't want that just yet. He didn't want to start any trouble, he also said. I knew it was code for _I'm too cool to talk to you in public._ So everyday, we'd meet at Falafel Phil's and just chill together and talk. We weren't seen, luckily, because hardly any kids from our school chilled near Falafel Phil's, and always near the fountain, which was far out.

Jack was normally fascinated in hearing about my previous life, all the dorky stuff he used to do. He thought that it wasn't possible, all that actually happening in real life. But then again, maybe it could, because soon enough, jack confessed that he knew "a thing or two about karate". Yeah. One or two things about being a third degree black belt. The confession actually comforted me in a way, knowing that things weren't all that different.

"Babe, you okay?" I was brought out of my trance by Brody's voice. I blinked a few times, and realized where I was. I was at our lunch table, looking at my plate while I was in deep thought. My eyes rose up, and I saw Donna, Kelsey and Frank (yeah. He was one of Brody's best friends, believe it or not, when in my previous life, they hated each other) looking at me strangely, as if I'd grown a third eye. I looked at the brunet who had spoken and I nodded my head absent-mindedly.

"I'm great," I said, lacking enthusiasm.

"I know," Donna nodded, looking down at her food. "This food is depressing."

"No, I was just thinking," I said honestly.

Brody's eyes grew concerned. "What were you thinking about?"

"Nothing," I said, trying hard to shake the thought out of my head. I looked at Brody now, studying his face. He looked faintly nervous. Why? "Don't worry about it. I'm just really stressed about our English assignment." That was no lie. We were studying Hamlet for Literature. I had no idea how to read Shakespeare. It was like reading everything backwards. And now we had to summarize the whole book. I didn't understand it one bit.

"I know something that'll make you feel better," Donna raised her eyebrows, smirking, and then she took her food tray into her hands, getting up from her seat. She turned around, and shouted, "Hey Grace!"

I saw a brunette turn around at the call of her name, her eyes alarmed. She was sitting at a table with Jerry and her other dancing friends. I heard them singing a song together earlier happily as I walked into the cafeteria. It depressed me. Jerry and Grace seemed so happy.

"Catch!" Donna shouted, attracting attention, and before I knew it, the tray that she had possessed in her hands flew into the air, across the little space between the two, crossing the cafeteria, and with perfect aim, landed on Grace's shirt. The cafeteria erupted into laughter as Grace stood, shocked, taking it all it. She looked down at herself, and I could see her nose start to twitch.

I'd known Grace Wexler for a long time. Long enough to know that when she was really pissed, her nose started twitching.

Crud. What have I done?

"You are going to get it, Donna!" Grace yelled, above the laughter, taking her own tray, walking towards up and stopping in front of a laughing Donna, who's smug smile was wiped off after Grace spilled her lunch over her head. "Bon appetit."

Donna gasped as she reached for Kelsey's tray, her already-dirty hands digging into her food, grabbing a handful, and shoving it down Grace's top. Grace shivered, her foot kicking Donna's shin, causing Donna to trip.

Before I could even generate what had just happened, Kelsey threw some food at Grace too. "Lay off, bitch."

"I'm gonna go all ghetto on you, sister!" Grace said, both of them grabbing for food from Kelsey's tray.

"FOOD FIGHT!" I heard from across the cafeteria, from a voice, which sounded like Jerry's, and then, suddenly, hell broke loose. The cafeteria erupted into chaos, everybody starting to follow the trend that was just set. I just sat in my seat, like the coward I currently was, until Grace shot daggers at me.

"What you looking at, skank?" Grace growled. Okay. I know she hated me, for whatever reason, but nobody called me that. My mouth dropped open, and my only instinct was to take Brody's tray, take a fist full of food, and throw it at the sassy brunette. How dare she? She gasped, her anger rising, and throwing back food that had been splattered across the table, throwing it at me.

The food that hit me was pretty cold, and I could feel the tomato gravy start to slide down my cheeks, the tuna salad that was mixed in with it burning my eyes. I wiped my eyes with my palm, and blinked, able to see again. I saw Grace laughing at me. Oh no she did not. I turned, running away from a fight before it started. I saw that kids were stealing food from the kitchen in order to continue the mad food fight. Marge and a couple of other lunch ladies were protecting themselves under tables, screaming "LORD HELP ME!" as everybody continued to play on.

This was complete madness.

"Don't run away from me!" I heard, and I came face to face with Grace, both her hands full of food, which she rubbed off onto my – new, may I add – T-Shirt. Why was she after me? I didn't even through the food at her. Shouldn't she be beating up Donna right about now?

When I glanced back at the table, I saw Brody was throwing food at his buddies, laughing, seeming as if he were having a good time. Another freshman that Donna despised was busy starting a fight with her, and all they seemed to be doing at the stage was arguing. Kelsey was trying to shield herself with her tray because Eddie (where did he come from?) had started shoving tuna at her. They seemed to be having fun.

"What is your problem?" I shrieked at the brunette, and her face twisted into a disgusted expression.

"You are really a piece of work, aren't you? Pretending like you don't know what you did!" What did I do? I desperately wanted to ask her, and then make peace, because I didn't like her mad at me, but she had other plans, because just then, her hands took me by the shoulder, and she shoved me back and my body collided with another, a random chick which was taken aback, and also started throwing me with food, and then smoothing cake into my hair.

Well, this was all going to take long to get out.

Where was our principal? Shouldn't he be walking in right about now?

"Hey, Kimmy," I heard Grace say. Ugh. How I hated that name. She probably knew that and was just using it to irritate me. "CATCH." Grace was just about to through an empty pudding cup at me, a body shielded mine, and when I looked up, I saw brown eyes looking down at me.

Jack.

"We need to get out of here," Jack shouted above the noise, and then I felt him grab my wrist, and he was then pulling me away from Grace at a fast pace. I looked around the cafeteria in horror. I had to refrain from slipping on the food that covered the floor, but every time I would slip, Jack would catch me with his arm. I felt sorry for the people that were going to clean up the place, which I hope wasn't me. After all, it was Donna and Jerry who started it. And maybe Grace. I don't know. I really wanted her to get in trouble.

The chick did call me a _skank_.

I took a gasp for air when Jack pulled me out of the cafeteria and into the hallway, and closed the doors behind him, blocking out the noise that was coming from the mayhem. Jack was panting, a if he'd just got out of war. Well, it did seem like that. It was pretty crazy in there.

"Are you okay?" I asked Jack, and he looked back at me and nodded. Jack was possibly the only person in this world that remained attractive, even with tuna salad in his hair. Then he started chuckling, and his hand reached out. I stiffened, my heart starting to beat faster as his finger landed on my nose and wiped something off of it.

"You got a little something on your nose," he said softly, bringing his finger away from my face and wiping it onto my shoulder. Then his eyes trailed up my neck and meeting my eyes. I gulped. Only then I realized how close we were. And we were pretty close. If he just leaned his head in, he could be kissing me. Maybe we would have if the cafeteria doors didn't burst open, causing us to spring apart in fright.

"Kim?" I saw a blonde come out the door, her high heels clopping hard against the floor, and when she spotted us, she stopped in her place and crossed her arms. "I saw you talking to Grace, and I thought she maybe said something to anger you, so I came to see if you were okay. But you're doing just fine, looks like." I didn't know what to say. Donna was eyeing Jack and eye suspiciously, and then her eyes relaxed as she flipped her hair. "What are you two up to?"

"There is nothing going on, Donna, I swear," I said, making sure I didn't sound as if I was begging. "He just … saved me from Grace." That's what he did, didn't he? Then why did I feel so guilty? Why did I feel like I'd just been caught doing something terribly wrong?

Donna's lips curved into a smirk. "Brody's looking for you. He was hoping you didn't get into some catfight with her. Should I tell him you're busy?"

"No, it's cool," I said, nodding, and then I looked back at Jack.

"Go," he whispered, so quietly, I could barely hear him, but I got it and sighed, looking at Donna before walking to her side, like the follower I was, and I followed her back into the crazed cafeteria, where teenagers were still going mad.

I looked back, expecting to see Jack, but like a ninja, he had completely disappeared from sight.

You guessed it.

Detention.

At first, I was totally against this decision, because I did absolutely nothing. Donna had twisted the story completely, making me sound like the monster, Grace following her lead, and I was left alone to defend myself, an attempt that failed. I was accused for starting the food fight; therefore I was issued a Saturday detention. Just perfect.

But then I knew it was the perfect opportunity for something.

To get the guys back together.

_**A Few Days Later …**_

I overlooked my appearance in the mirror again, making sure that I looked like myself. I decided to mix things up today and dress like myself. I had found a pink pair of Converse in the back of my closet, which I matched with jeans, and a cute purple top, my hair tied back into a ponytail. This was what I missed. Being able to dress like me. I didn't like wearing skirts that were two sizes smaller, or having to learn how to do a fish braid via the internet, just to impress Donna and Kelsey.

I wanted to be _me._

I wanted my life back.

But there was no life to get back, because it didn't exist.

The thought, even two months after the accident, made me sad. I woke up every morning, hoping that this was the dream of my coma, and that _this_ was some other life.

But it wasn't.

This was reality.

There was a knock on my bedroom door, and the door opened, revealing a little kid, a kid that made me smile. Amber and I didn't look related at all, except for the fact that our eyes were identical. Other than that, we looked different to each other. She was a brunette, with freckles covering her cheeks. You could already see that she was going to be a beautiful girl when she grew up.

"Hey, Amby," I greeted my younger sibling. It was the first time I'd seen her all morning. "What's up?"

The little girl giggled. "Your boyfriend's here, and he offered to give you a ride to school. He even said he could get me some pizza."

Brody, bribing my little sister. I found it quite cute, actually. "Tell Brody I'll be down in a minute." I didn't even need to warn him. He and my father were probably talking up a storm in the living room. My father, I'd learnt, was very fond of him, and my mother loves him. I mean, who wouldn't? The guy could cook; he watched golf games with my dad (which must have been horrible. He must really love me to do that) and he played dress up with Amber and her friends. He was actually the _perfect_ boyfriend.

But he wasn't Jack.

Amber looked at he weirdly, her head tilting to the side as I continued to apply a low dose of make up. Then I saw the child smile, her two front teeth missing. "You look pretty today, Kimmy."

I smiled sadly at Amber, and I was about to reply thank you, but then somebody from behind her opened the door further, and then I heard a familiar voice. "Yes you do." I couldn't help but giggle when I saw Brody swoop Amber into his arms, starting to tickle her sides, and her laughter becoming never-ending. My heart warmed at the sight.

Look at him, being all handsome with his big arms, beautiful green eyes, that warm smile that just melts your insides. How could I not be in love with him? Playing this other role would be so much more easier if I did. I hated pretending like I loved him back. I _hated_ it. He didn't deserve it at all. He was such a good guy.

When he settled Amber down and she ran out of the room, all giddy, Brody looked at me intently. "Morning gorgeous."

I could feel my cheeks growing scarlet at his compliment, and I wrapped my arms around him, bringing him into a short embrace before leaning away. "Hey, hottie," I said as he leaned in towards me, pecking my lips several times before pulling into real kiss. Sure, it wasn't all the cliché sparks, but it was a nice kiss. His lips were so soft, so inviting. We hadn't kissed like this before – well, nothing of what I can remember – normally it was just a kiss on the cheek, or just a peck, but there was something about this kiss, which showed me where I stood with him.

But that only made me feel worse.

When we parted, he was smiling, and I couldn't help but smile too. Like Jack, he had one of those contagious smiles, with the perfect teeth and sparkly eyes. They were alike in many different and odd ways.

"Why is it that you look even more beautiful today?" Brody said, his arm staying wrapped around my waist.

"I'm … remodeling my style, I guess," I told him truthfully. Then his eyes left mine, looking behind me, and smiled. I knew what he was thinking. "And my bedroom." I was. I couldn't stand sleeping in such a pink and fluffy bedroom, so I asked my mother if I could redecorate. It was a step further to becoming the new me. I'd repainted my walls a baby blue, and I'd changed my bed covers to a rainbow stripped duvet. There were empty picture frames hanging on the walls, and my father had gotten me Christmas lights to use as general lights, but since they weren't ready yet, I was forced to use my bedside lamp only.

"And the empty picture frames?" Brody raised an eyebrow, and I laughed.

"I'm just preparing them for new memories," I shrugged, and Brody looked at me lovingly.

"A new you," Brody rather stated than asked, but I nodded anyway. "I like it."

Yeah. I liked it too.

**. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .**

**JACK**

I was waiting outside the library, waiting for our monitor, my headphones on my ears. I was listening to _Smells Like A Teen Spirit_ on my highest volume, the music filing my ears. I bobbed my head to the music, looking at the floor, in a deep trance.

This was what I liked about music. It brought me to my happy place, even in my darkest hour. It's just always been there for me. People didn't understand it. People didn't understand _me_. But music did. I thought it was better that way, channeling all of my emotion into music and into nothing else. I wasn't always this dark, but after The Incident happened, and my mom barely escaped her and my father's marriage, I changed. I changed big time. It was for the better and for the worse. I lost all my friends, all my hobbies. I lost everything. Except for music.

When my interest for music doubled, so did my interest in guitars. There was just something so magical about the instrument, where it can take you emotionally, only by letting you strum a few chords.

My thoughts were interrupted, though, when I heard a laugh. A laugh I had learnt to recognize. Then I heard a voice that was familiar as well. I removed my headphones from my ears, letting the Beats hang from my neck as I scrolled down my playlist.

"You're funny."

"That's why you love me, isn't it?"

Oh, so Brody was here too. Fun.

"And she was all over me, dude," I heard a Latino voice say in a loud whisper. "She had her fingers all up in my hair, and this one was a loud one. She would not shut up. It's not like we were doing anything more than just making out, but she had other plans."

"I feel you," I heard another voice say. "I like them loud, but not too loud, you know what I'm saying?"

I decided to block out the conversation, totally disturbed by it. I sighed in satisfaction. Kim and I had spent the week trying to get the others into detention. I didn't want to do this. I didn't want friends. But I was doing it to help Kim. She needed it.

Jerry, we didn't have to even worry about. He got into Saturday detention all on his own. Eddie was a challenge, I'll say, but it wasn't all too hard. All we had to do is get him to hit on a substitute teacher – who wasn't that bad, may I uselessly add – and telling him it was a new girl. Obviously, I wasn't the one who did this. Kim and Kelsey pulled the joke on him, and it put him in detention. Grace, we couldn't get to. She wasn't fond of Kim and I at all. Kim and Donna tried getting her aggravated, but she wouldn't budge. She was stubborn that way. Milton was the hardest, by far. It was only yesterday we got him detention, because Kim hid his backpack in the girls' bathroom, therefore he didn't hand in any of his assignments. We had previously tried to get him to send a really inappropriate message to one of the teachers through his email, but his password was pretty hard to guess.

Either way, we got the guys in detention, so it was good enough for Kim. She was so happy that we managed to do it, that she had a course of extra falafels. The girl seemed to like her food – which is definitely opposite to the Kim from long ago.

It did seem long ago, didn't it?

When Kim and Brody came into view, holding hands, I tried to ignore the fact that my heart kind of dropped. I'd tried avoiding Kim at school at all costs after the food fight. I'd only known her for a little bit, but I felt myself becoming closer to her. I guess I just had to admit it to myself.

She was my friend. A friend who happened to look really good today.

And it hurt to see her with Brody. I don't think she knew what a jerk he was. I didn't know anything about the dude, thank God, but I could just sense he was a bad person.

The kind of vibes I'd get around my dad.

"Jack, hey," Kim greeted, her and Brody coming over to me. I looked across the hall and saw Jerry and Eddie. They must have been the voices talk about disturbing details. I shuddered and looked back at Kim and Brody, who were looking straight at me.

"You're an exchange student, right?" Brody asked. I shook my head no. "New kid?" I shook my head again. You could have asked three years ago. "I get it. You're on the chess team."

"No, he's always been here, babe," I couldn't help but feel disgusted at the nickname Kim had given her boyfriend. I looked at him up and down, confused. How was he a heartthrob? He wasn't all that pretty. His smile seemed so fake.

I know what fake smiles look like.

"Of course you wouldn't notice him," Kim flipped her hair, obviously 'in character'. The Kim I'd gotten to know never flipped her hair, but the old Kim definitely did. "You're not as observant as I am."

Brody nodded at this and then smiled, putting his hand out for me to shake. "Well, Jack, nice to meet you, I guess." I shook his hand, smiling and nodding. I was already fed up with the dude and it hadn't even been five minutes. "Er … is he mute?"

My eyebrows rose. Wow. He was really something. Kim shoved her elbow into his side. "Brody! He talks. He's the silent but deadly type."

"So you guys are friends?"

I looked at Kim skeptically. She smiled at me and nodded. "Yeah. I guess we are."

The conversation was interrupted by Jerry wolf-whistling with Eddie in the background. All three of us looked at them oddly, seeing Jerry make a very inappropriate motion with his hips. "I wouldn't mind licking the cinnamon off those buns." I cringed at this. Jerry and Alison would get along.

"New jeans, Kim?" I asked her, and she giggled, turning her attention to Brody.

"Well, I guess you've got to go before you're seen," Kim sighed, pouting. "I don't want to delay your work out session with the guys."

"The guys can wait," Brody smirked, and kissed Kim for a little bit longer than he need to. I swear I saw him look my way before closing his eyes.

Gross. Love.

Well, not exactly.

When Brody finally decided to, you know, _breathe_, he caressed Kim's cheek quickly and kissed her again. Kim seemed to be enjoying this, which made me cock my eyebrow. "See you around, Jack," Brody said to me after saying goodbye multiple times to the blonde. When she was sure he was gone, she smiled at me.

"Well, you seem to be enjoying yourself," I rolled my eyes, returning to scrolling through my playlist.

Kim shrugged. "I guess it's kind of fun, this journey to finding myself and all. I can't be all depressed. Maybe kissing Brody is what attracted me to him in the first place and I don't even know it."

I couldn't help but smile? Why? Because she'd put another puzzle piece together.

Like perfect timing, Mr. Benson finally arrived, his keys dangling from his satchel (or a men's handbag, as he called it) and opened the library, allowing us in. Kim and I walked into the library together and we sat next to each other at the desks provided, and Jerry and Eddie, of course, having becoming instant best friends outside, sat next to each other.

Which reminded me …

Where in the hell is Milton?

Like the ginger had read my mind, he burst through the library doors as Mr. Benson had began to speak, opening his mouth but no words ever escaping. The scrawny teenager had his backpack weighing him down. It must have been really heavy because just lunging himself forward took him to the ground. This wasn't like Milton. He was never late.

"You better have a good excuse, Krupnik," Mr. Benson's flat voice asked. His head looked up from the ground.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Benson," Milton said. "But my aunt's cat was busy giving birth, and the woman can't even watch Twilight without throwing up. And I, being a certified first aid assistant, could at least provide her with some of my professional attention, sir."

Mr. Benson smiled at him. He never smiles. But all teachers smile at Milton. From any other child, this would be an obvious lie, but Milton never lied. "It's okay, Milton. There's a first time for everything. And it was for a good cause. You may take your seat." Milton obeyed and brought himself up from the floor, taking a seat behind Kim and I.

"You know the rules," Mr. Benson said, as if he were bored. "No talking, no getting out. You're here for a full five hours people. It's not that long if you think about it. Just shut up, and relax. I forgot my exam pads, because I wasn't home last night, therefore, you shall all be sitting in silent with a book I will provide to you. By the end of the day, you need to give me a full synopsis about what you have read. If you fail to do this, well, you'll be attending school on Saturday regularly in order to finish it."

Luckily, I was a fast reader, so this was a piece of cake for me. Mr. Benson disappeared into the library and I heard Jerry whispering my name. Wait? He knew my name? So much for trying to be invisible these past few years.

"Jack!" he said. I made eye contact with him to prove I was listening. "I have a plan to get us out of here without The Beanbag noticing." Yeah. We called Mr. Benson The Beanbag for frightening reasons. A person can NEVER unseen that. I returned my attention to Jerry, who I couldn't hear, due to the fact that music was playing full blast into my ears.

When Mr. Benson returned, Jerry straightened up his posture and folded his arms onto the desk, acting innocent.

Yeah right. The dude was here because he glued a toilet seat to a poor senior.

When Mr. Benson gave me my book, which was _Withering Heights_. Thank God I had a mother, therefore there was no need to actually read the book. I could just sit and chill out.

"I'm going to go get some coffee," Mr. Benson said, heading for the door. "And when I get back, you will all be reading in silence." When the door closed behind him, Jerry and Eddie started talking normally, and then they burst out laughing for some reason I didn't know.

I looked at Kim, who looked distressed, her hands clutching her head, her nails piercing into the skin on her forehead.

"Kim?" I asked softly, and she groaned. "Kim? Are you okay?"

She looked at me, about to respond, but instead of words leaving her lips, a scream did. A howling scream. A scream which scared me a little bit. I was becoming worried, because even Jerry and Eddie paused their loud conversation, looking over at us.

Kim screamed again, pulling her hair with her fingers and falling off her seat.

Okay. Now I was scared.

"Kim!" I said as her body landed on the floor. Then I wasn't the only one pleading her name. All the guys had huddled over her body, which seemed to jerk. She couldn't be having a seizure, could she? I slapped the thought away, and I started shaking Kim, shouting her name, begging her to wake up, but the more I shook her, the more her eyes closed.

And then she was gone.

**. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .**

"_That's beautiful."_

"_You really think so?"_

"_Yeah, I do. You have a talent."_

"_Oh, I know. I just … I'm not comfortable with sharing it."_

"_Why not? This can take you places. Expressing such emotion with everybody, through something so beautiful, so personal. Why are you wasting it on me?"_

"_I couldn't tell you how I feel, so I just showed you."_

"… _So how do you feel about me?"_

"_I feel … a lot about you. More than I'm supposed to. But it's wrong, and I know it is …"_

_The darkness faded into a scene. It was picture perfect, the gorgeous floral setting almost blindingly amazing. You could hear a fountain far out in the distance, presenting a calm atmosphere. There were two figures sitting on a bench in this garden. They both were looking at each other, the silence becoming very uncomfortable, but in some way, the serene surroundings seemed to cut out the "uncomfortable' part altogether. _

_It was a guy and a girl, you could see now. Their features were becoming more clear. The girl was blonde, slightly petite, while the guy was a brunet, and you could see he had a beautiful complexion, judging by his eyes. _

" … _the point is," the brunet said, and his arm reached out to touch the blonde's, who flinched, but then relaxed. "I don't care. I can't help it. It's just, there's something about you … it draws me to you. I've never felt this way about anyone before. They way you make me feel when you're just around, smiling or frowning, laughing or crying…"_

"_No," the girl gasped, and her head shook, her locks moving in sync with her movement. "No! This is not right! This can't be happening! You're supposed to love her, not me!"_

"_I'm supposed to, but I don't," the guy said. "I can't stop thinking about you."_

"_Well, you better," the blonde shot up from her seat. "I can't do this! I'm sorry, but I can't … or I might do something I regret." She tried to get away from the brunet, but before she could even speed up, he grabbed her wrist, and she stopped immediately. She turned back around to face him, and before she could even think about what she was going to do next, she gave in. She did what she'd originally wanted to prevent from doing. _

_She kissed him. _

_She pulled back as soon as she realized that she was kissing the guy she could never have, but also the same guy that she'd fell head over heels in love with. She was tired of sneaking around, pretending that she didn't feel for him. _

_The problem was that she couldn't pretend anymore. _

_This time, it was he who kissed her._

_It was a perfect place for a first kiss. _

_It was the first and best kiss Kim Crawford would ever have. _

**. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .**

**Author's Note:**

_Not my best chapter, I think, but I guess it way okay (: I didn't know where I was actually going with this chapter, so I just wrote, and I'm happy with the result and I hope you guys are happy too. (:_

_It was impossible writing the food fight scene, I must say. 0.0 When I read through it, it seemed rushed, but there is really not other way to explain what was happening. People are just throwing food at each other after all. :P No Brody/Kim/Jack drama just yet, but I viewed Jack's feelings on the relationship, so I hope you enjoyed that. _

_REVIEW please (: They motivate me tons! It would mean so much to me! Tell me all your thoughts, good or bad. Constructive criticism is welcome (: And sorry if I made any mistakes. It's pretty late (down here, I guess) and I really want to sleep. :P So I don't have the energy to check this chapter. _

_The one-shot I was originally planning to write will be out soon. (: I'll put in the finishing touches, and it will be out (:_

_Well, I better sleep. :P Do me a favor and review (: Sorry. I like reviews :D_

_Keep amazing (:_

_Nia (: xoxo_


	5. Chapter 5: Break Out

**Author's Note:**

_YOU GUYS ARE AMAZING :') Seriously, you are. If I could, I'd give all of you hugs and cookies and milk and clones of hot people ;) Everything I could ever waned given to me … okay, maybe not, but you get what I'm at (: I'm just in a really good mood (: Lucky for you, so you'll get a kickgrass chapter out of it. _

_Honestly, I don't know where this chapter is going, but I hope it turns out okay for all of you (:_

_A few of you are confused on the little dreams at the end of each chapter, but like Kim kind of said in the last chapter, these are all dreams (in no particular POV. Kind of like second-third person, I guess) (: It'll make more sense after this chapter hopefully. I made sure to put a little info about it, but also have the story itself going (:_

_And to answer ferretface98's review (sorry, I'm too lazy to PM): Well, what happened is that Kim dreamt of her life, of her knowing of karate and the gang being together with random people she thought of, and she kind of invented some of their personality, the personalities that she knows. When she wakes up from her coma, she's in a whole other life, because she dreamt of her other while she was in her coma, and developed a second self, a self who doesn't remember her __real__ life. Hope I've cleared the confusion._

_Anyhoo, enjoy the chapter (:_

_**DISCLAIMER: **__Don't own Kickin' It. Wish I did, but I do not. _

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**KIM**

I didn't wake up immediately after the dream. I woke up, but somehow, I wasn't actually fully conscious as well. All my senses were active, but then I couldn't move. At all. I was stuck, paralyzed. I couldn't even open my eyes. It was as if my whole body had gone numb, a numbness I couldn't escape, a numbness that I couldn't control.

"Kim!" I heard Jack's voice pleading, in complete darkness. I wanted to respond, but I couldn't.

"She's unconscious," I heard Milton's voice say. No, hey. I was just lying on the ground in pain for fun. "We can't wake her up. She has to wake up on her own."

"Well, she better wake up quickly," Eddie said, desperately. "We don't want Beanbag to take us downtown for questioning or something. It looks like we killed her."

"Well, I guess there's only one way to do this," I heard Jerry's voice say with a sigh.

_Slap._

A hand had come into contact with my cheek, and I could feel the blood rushing to it, the pain spreading quickly, and it wouldn't fade away. But for some really wrong reason, I didn't react to anything. My body remained paralyzed.

Oh my word. What if I was like this for the rest of my life? In this darkness? I felt like just opening my eyes, screaming, ripping my hair out – anything to end this continuous darkness!

"Jerry! Stop it!" I heard Jack snap, and then I heard a slap come from my right, and after that, a girl-like shriek followed after. "We need to get her up in a very placid way. We can't just slap her in the face!"

"God," Milton groaned. "Why don't we just get help like normal people would?"

"Why don't you come up with a solution, Mr. Professional First Aid?" Eddie shot back. I heard shuffling, and a little pressure fall onto me by my legs.

"Guys, seriously?" Jack's voice cried, perplexed. "Milton, you couldn't put up a fight anyway, okay? Now why don't we just focus on a solution to waking Kim up before Mr. Benson gets back."

"True love's first kiss," I heard Jerry say, and I could sense somebody coming closer to me. Coming closer to my face. And then I could feel somebody breathing silently onto my cheeks. If Jerry kisses me, I am going to pummel him when or if I could again. I'm hoping the first option. But then I felt the about-to-be-kissed sense leave me instantly, and then I heard the Latino say, "C'mon! It worked in the fairytales."

"Seriously, Jerry?" Milton sighed.

"Swag," Eddie complimented Jerry, and I heard a slapping sound. I'm guessing that was a high five. Ugh. What tools they were – in this life anyways.

I heard a cough, and then Jack spoke. "I think what will wake her up, or at least get her to open her eyes is … no. Nevermind."

"No, Jackson," Milton insisted. "Enlighten us. We need to get the female awake sooner or later, otherwise this is going to become a CSI episode." The nerd had a point there. People were probably going to think I'd gone under a coma again. Have I gone under a coma again, or was I just paralyzed? I couldn't hear people in my coma from before. But then again, I'd lived a whole other life in the coma before.

"Well, I think what will get her awake is, you know, gasping for air," Jack said. Okay, what now? "Because if she do that, she's sure to wake up."

"Or die," Jerry added.

"So, you want us to block Kim's air passage, in order to react, to wake her up?" Wait. They were going to attempt to kill me? Okay, not really, but I'm still panicked. People don't just "block your air passage".

"So … we choke her?" Eddie's voice seemed confused, almost in a Jerry kind of way.

"No," Jerry followed after. "We have to block her air passage … What's an air passage?"

"THE TUBE WE USE STUFFED DOWN OUR THROATS FOR BREATHING," Milton sounded out, loudly.

"We could just, you know …" Jerry's voice trailed off and then I felt something separating my lips, entering my mouth. Oh my God. It was Jerry's fist in my mouth. I could slowly feel my gag reflexes kick in, and my heartbeat sounding in my ears. But then the fist jerked, and came out of my mouth. Thank you, to whoever did that.

"You imbecile," I heard Milton shriek. "You're going to make her vomit!"

"Not right at all," Eddie agreed. "This is how you do it." Then I felt hands pushing down hard onto my chest – why was he even near that area? – and my pulse began to beat harder, so hard, I thought I could have thrown up my heart, and all my other organs. I could feel all of the blood rush to my head, pain starting to throb through all my limbs, and my body lurched upwards, the need for air suddenly taking over. I took a long gasped, my eyelids flying open, and I met the faces of the four boys, their faces leaning over mine.

I tried moving my fingers, and they followed my commands. I felt relief. So I _wasn't_ paralyzed. There was a pain in my chest every time I inhaled, I realized. I sat up, the faces moving out of the way for me to sit up. I tried to calm this down my pressing my pain onto it hard, and the pain started to fade. I looked at my knees and saw how violently they were shaking. I guess it was just shock.

"Oh, I didn't expect for it to work. I just wanted to touch her boobs," I heard Eddie mumble from behind me. Okay, ew. "Oh well. KIM!" Arms wrapped around my waist tightly, and I coughed. I accepted the hug from Eddie. I hadn't gotten one since … well, ever. "You're alive!"

"Welcome back," Jerry, who was in front of me, said, putting a hand on my knee, "to detention." I'd almost forgotten about that. Now I realized it would have been better to just lie in darkness. Damn Eddie and his selective smartitude.

"You okay, Kim?" Jack asked, putting a calming hand on my shoulder. Heat radiated through my body. I looked at him and nodded robotically. "Maybe we should get her water."

"Yeah, from what? Our saliva?" Way to be too sarcastic, Milton. I really couldn't put up with his attitude. I only wanted to do one thing, say one thing.

"I need to get out of here."

"Don't we all?" Milton rolled his eyes at me, and I gulped, my throat painfully dry. "Kim, we can't devise some plan for you to get out of here just because you want to. We were also punished, and we need to face the music." If Milton knew what _really_ happened to me, he wouldn't be saying this. I could see Jack wanted to say something, or probably skin him alive, but I gave him the _don't-do-anything-don't-say-anything-just-calm-the-heck-down_ look, and he relaxed, and threw a sad glance my way.

"Just trust me on this one, Milton," I said to him. I felt the walls closing in one me, suffocating me. I needed fresh air. "Please." I was feeling so emotional; I probably would have burst out into tears. He must have seen so, because his face softened.

"Okay," he said. "But I'm staying. I'll just help you guys get out."

I looked at Jerry, and then he smirked at me. I couldn't help but smile back. "You know I gotta plan, don't you?"

"Hasn't it always been your specialty?" I laughed a little.

"You remember," Jerry chuckled cheekily. Remember? I guess this was another riddle I had to solve. Jerry jumped up, pulling Eddie up with him. "I might have a plan … or two. But first, we're going to need a lot of books, yo. I say we just climb through the air vent."

"Then wouldn't it be more helpful if we just moved a book_shelf_?" Milton shrugged. "And a person?" It is pretty high up."

"Not as good as my plan, but it could work too," Jerry rolled his eyes, and Eddie bit back a laugh next to him. "Men … and Milton," the ginger raised an eyebrow. "We have a bookshelf to move. Kim … you just stay here and continue looking hot as usual." I had to blush. Eddie shook his head in dismay.

Milton scrambled to his feet, and then followed Jerry's lead. Eddie, however, stayed in his spot for a second. "Jack, we'll also need your help."

"I'll catch up with you guys," Jack said. Eddie shrugged, and then followed Jerry and Milton off into the aisles of bookshelves, leaving Jack and I alone.

He was looking at me, his features soft and kind – which was a first – and to my surprise, he wrapped his arms around me, squeezing me tightly into his chest. I could hear his heartbeat steadily under my ear. The very unexpected embrace didn't last long at all, but I still managed to savor the moment. Now that I really think about it, this was the first hug he'd ever given me.

"Don't scare me like that, Kim," he said into my hair, and then his arms started to slack and then dropped.

I found this amusing. "Isn't Jack too cool and too mysterious to get scared?"

But Jack didn't laugh with me. He stayed serious, his eyes almost looking through me. Kelsey was right about them, being able to pierce through your soul. His eyes seemed so dark, but they were actually a really soothing brown, slightly darker than hazel.

Jack broke the silence. "Are you okay?"

He'd asked the question already, but this time, I knew what he really meant. So I was going to give him an honest answer. "No." I shook my head. "I'm not."

"JACK!" Cries retreated from the valley of books, and the moment was broken. Even if we could have kissed, or anything, it's not like Jack every would. Not that _I_ ever would. God. Why am I having these thoughts? I was with Brody.

No. The other Kim was with Brody. And in love with him. I wasn't.

Jack got up from next to me and without saying anything else, disappeared from my sight, and I was alone with my thoughts.

Which led back to the dream.

What was up with these dreams? The other one was understandable, because it came to me in my sleep, but then this one came out of nowhere, knocking me out. It was starting to get bizarre.

Every other night, I didn't dream of anything. But now, all of a sudden, I have this really weird dream with I and somebody else who I couldn't make out, and then I break down in the middle of detention, having another, only it was about me having my first kiss.

With a brunet. With green eyes.

With Brody.

I didn't need to question how I knew it was him, and how I knew it was my first kiss. The scary thing is, I could feel it. I could feel it was my first kiss, and I _knew_ that it was Brody. I could just tell. I'd known the guy long enough. Hell, he was supposed to be my boyfriend.

This first dream, though. It made me think. Which led me back to my conversation with Jack two weeks ago.

_Jack looked at me, his eyes wide and questioning. He seemed speechless, motionless, just sitting there, staring at me, even after I'd finished the story that was supposed to be my dream. _

"_Say something," I said, my eyes looking at the table, uncomfortable. An awkward silence had settled upon us. We were in Falafel Phil's, once again, our now-pretty-usual hangout. We weren't eating anything. We'd long ago finished our meals and paid the bill. This was the part where we'd usually talk, and Jack would comment or give me advice. But right now, he didn't seem to have anything. _

"_I'm just stunned," He stuttered, flatly. His long locks hid his eyes as his head bowed down. Now I was stunned. He didn't have a comment. _

"_What do you think it was?" I shrugged. "I mean, it could have just been some ordinary dream, you know. One I just simply made up in my head. It wasn't a memory … was it?" Another pause. "I would know if it was a memory. I would feel it. This dream, it was just like some kind of story. I didn't seem to feel anything at all. It was like watching a movie."_

"_You remember every single detail of it?" Jack asked me after clearing his throat. _

_I blinked. "Am I not supposed to?"_

_Jack's hand reached down at the back of his neck. I would have smiled – since it was something he used to do a lot, especially when nervous – but my mind was on this dream. "Kim, you wouldn't have remembered it. Well, of course you would, but you wouldn't be able to tell me from the beginning to the end. Are you sure that was all of it?"_

_I was afraid of saying I was sure. This could have been a bad thing – a very bad thing. Like, get doctors and police involved bad. I gulped, running my fingers through my hair. "I'm sure," I said in a small voice. Jack had to sit back in his seat, put on his thinking face and really worry me. "I wouldn't know what to do if it wasn't a dream, Jack."_

"_Then you don't," Jack looked up at me. "Because … I don't think it was a dream."_

His words were still echoing in my head. I still remember every single detail about that dream, and this one as well, only I haven't told him about this one yet. I really wanted to. Forget that, I _needed_ to, before I explode.

Were that dream and this dream connected in any way? It didn't seem like it at all. They couldn't be.

My thoughts (on queue) were interrupted by groaning, moaning, and somebody falling. I turned my head, seeing the guys pushing something, a bookcase to be exact. It was a large, and must have been heavy. I could see Milton sweating slightly. It was kind of odd, seeing him push something that was about twice his size, but he was making an effort, and for that I was grateful.

After five minutes, at least, the shelf was underneath the air vent, which was still about a few feet up even if someone were to stand on it. But I guess I had no other choice. I really wanted to get out of here.

"Do you think she could reach?" Jack asked Jerry and he shrugged.

"Kimmy," he smirked, patting the side of the bookshelf, winking at me. "Don't break it, man. We also need to get out." I felt my jaw clench, and my features scowl at him, shaking my head as I got to my feet. I made my way over to them, and as soon as I did, I slapped Jerry in the face, causing him to shriek like the girl he was. "What was that for?" He yelped.

"For slapping me, shoving your fist in my mouth and now for indirectly calling me fat," I put my hand on my hip, seeing Eddie and Jack giggling from both sides of the Latino, who had his arms crossed, his lip out in a pout. I turned to Eddie and punched him in the stomach, and he groaned, and fell onto the floor. Jack wasn't giggling anymore – he was laughing. "Don't try and act like I didn't know what you did to wake me up," I snarled at the African-American. "No groping north of the equator … or south!"

"Okay, now before we start going all soap opera, can we please just complete what we said we'd do? I didn't just drag this here for nothing," Milton huffed.

I flipped my hair, so nobody would recognize how out of character I was. I climbed to the top of the bookcase or really long bookshelf carefully. I almost fell a few times, but every time I would, Jack would grab my waist so that I couldn't fall and so that I could regain balance. I have to admit that I fake slipped sometimes just for him to put his arms around me waist. It was nice.

When I was high enough, and Jack could no longer help me, I thrust myself up onto the solid surface, and then I sat, looking down at the guys, dangling my feet, and I inhaled. The guys cheered, high fiving each other and I smiled. I guess the dream thing really helped me get them together.

I looked up and saw the air vent, which was still really high up. If I stood and reached my arm up, I could touch it, but then it wouldn't be enough for me to be able to get myself into it. I carefully got to my feet, the bookcase shaking a few times, but Jack and Jerry held it steady. I reached my hand up, and I was right. I could touch it. But would it be enough? I reached up my other hand, and I managed to get them inside, and I took the chance, trying to get in. I lift myself up, and then my body was hanging as I got the rest of my arms inside the vent.

Straightaway, I feel my arm cramp and I cried out, in pain and also because I was hanging, and I couldn't get my feet back steadily onto the bookcase's surface. "Guys! I can't hold on!"

"Okay, don't panic," Milton shouted up at me. "Just relax and try to …" but the ginger didn't get to finish his sentence, because when I relaxed, my arms slipped, and I was airborne. My heart started beating fast, but my feet landed on the surface, but my balance was not so sharp, so I stumbled back, only to fall off. I screamed, expecting for my body to come into contact with the floor, but instead came into contact with arms.

Jack had caught me.

"I don't think this is going to work," Jack said in a low voice.

"I agree," I said, for some reason raising my hand. I think I was a little nervous. "Because no way in hell I'm going back up there. I don't like the feeling of flying."

Jerry shook his head. "I know a secret pathway out of the library."

"JERRY!" We all yelled in unison. Yeah. Only now he suggests that idea, after I was nearly knocked into _another_ coma. Jack put me down carefully, and I thanked him. He just nodded. I folded my arms and shrugged. "Okay, where is this secret passage way?"

Jerry pulled at his collar. "Follow the leader." I rolled my eyes and followed him, along with the others. We were deep in the library now, in a section I've never really recognized, probably because it was where the Jackie Collins books were. And those were adult books – quite complex ones.

"Abracadabra," Jerry said, his fingers forming invisible fairy dust and then he moved the bookshelf, revealing what Jerry had said – a secret passage. "Our free ticket out of here. And because I'm such a gentlemen … Ladies first." I raised my eyebrow at him. This better not be some scam.

I sighed and slid my body inside. The slope was tippy, and I didn't notice, so then I went in, my body sliding down, as if I were in some playground tunnel. As I was sliding down the metal tunnel, I shrieked, first out of fright but then out of enjoyment. It was fun, I admit. When I saw there was light, I braced myself, and then I came into exposure with it, and again, I was flying for the second time today.

But there was no Jack there to catch me or cushion my fall. Instead, it was a bunch of garbage bags that were full of junk that smelt really funky.

I was in the dumpster.

Why in the world would there be a passageway to the dumpster in the library? I will never know.

Another body flew out of the tunnel, landing next to me in the dumpster. It was Jerry. And then it was Eddie, and after him came Jack. We were sitting in the disgusting mess, waiting for Milton, but he never came. Jerry shook his head and jumped out of the dumpster. "He said earlier that he was just helping us, didn't he?" He did.

The rest of the guys started jumping out, but I couldn't. I tried getting my butt out of this steep space, but to no avail. Jack saw this and offered out a hand, which I took, and he pulled me out, and helped me get out of the big rubbish can. I smelt my arm and cringed. I smelt like bad cafeteria food. I looked at Jack, and saw that he'd had his headphones around him neck. I narrowed my eyes at him and he smirked.

"If you guys are done playing telepathic sex games, then can we please head out?" Eddie hollered to us, making me got scarlet. "I could give you guys a ride or something."

"That wouldn't be …" I didn't let Jack finish his sentence. Even though I wasn't wearing heels, I didn't feel like walking. I needed to get home.

"It would be such a pleasure, Eddie, thank you," I said, and I pulled on Jack's arm as we made our way to Eddie's golden Mercedes in the school parking lot. Not to shabby at all. But then again, Eddie's father was a CEO for some magazine in Thailand.

"Ladies first," Eddie said, opening the door for me to the backseat. I nodded at him, and then I got in, and Jack did after me on the other side. Jerry sat shotgun and Eddie was possibly the only one who could drive out of all of us. When Eddie turned on the engine, I felt relief, knowing I was going to get away from this place – and probably score detention again next Saturday.

"Where to, senorita?" Jerry winked back at us, and Jack rolled his eyes.

"24 Limpet Lane. It's near the beach," I told the two pilots in front.

"Oh right! I think I remember that one party you threw once," Eddie laughed nervously. "When Grace went all cheetah on you."

"Yeah, who can forget that night?" Jerry whistled.

What night? What party? Why did Grace go all cheetah? I was hesitant to ask, but that God for Jack, because then he asked, "What happened between them?"

"Oh, I don't know for sure," Jerry shrugged. "Dude, Grace hardly ever talks about that night. She gets all twitchy when she just thinks about it. I remember it was over … Brody?" Wait? _Brody_? "Yeah, I don't know. Asking the chicka is like asking for a punch in the head, yo. Then she gets all emotional and it turns into this soapy ding dong."

"Does she ever talk about me?" I reasoned. "What does she say?"

"Skank," Jerry said, a little too loudly and with too much emphasis. "Whore. I'd say more, but that's crossing the religious line and whatever, so I'll just keep my mouth hush, hush. Don't tell her I told you, or I'm mushed meat."

"So you're close friends with Grace?"

"If I had to say so myself, yo, it was like she replaced you with me. Instead, like, you know. I'm a guy. She wouldn't talk to me about periods and all that jazz."

My head was being driven crazy by thoughts! Oh my God. Why didn't I just keep a diary or something? It would make this trip down memory lane a lot easier! If I was going to do this properly, I had to really dig. And hopefully, Jack knew enough that would be useful.

"Down this road, right?" Eddie's voice said, and I looked out the window, seeing all the recognizable houses that I've passed millions of times in my lifetime.

"Yeah," I said. "It has a huge 24 on it. You can't miss it."

After a few more minutes of cruising the neighborhood, we finally stopped at my house. Jerry got out and opened the door for me, like a gentleman, which was _so_ unlike him. I looked at Jack pleadingly before I got out.

"Thank you, Jerry," I said, and Jerry's lips broke into a toothy smile. I looked back into the car at Jack. "I need you to come in with me!"

"I can't," Jack shrugged. "I need to babysit Alison or something when I get home."

"Please," I pleaded. "Oh c'mon! We're still supposed to be in detention anyway. I just really need you."

"Yeah, Jacky," Jerry mocked me, pouting and putting his palms together in a begging motion. I would have been annoyed with this, but it seemed to irritate Jack a little, so I just let it go. "She needs you inside of her – I mean, with her." This time I kicked him. "What?"

"You're a pig," I rolled my eyes. Jack sighed and got out of his side of the car, and I smiled, but his features were focused into a scowl. Jerry saw this and laughed.

"Well, that was … kind of fun," Jerry snickered. "I guess I'll see you guys around?"

"That's a definite," I assured him.

The Latino nodded and narrowed his eyes at the brunet. "You, Mr. Just Friends, take care of this little hussy." I kicked Jerry in the shin. "Ouch. Don't get violent." Jack smirked at me. "Well, peace out, suckers." Jerry climbed back into the car, and closed the doors. We saw the car quickly drive off, the two old friends waving at us from inside the car. It felt like a weight was just lifted. I was getting them back.

"Well, what is it, Kim?" Jack crossed his arms.

"Someone's moody," My mouth slipped. Jack was about to turn around and walk away from me, but then I caught his wrist, and he turned back around, looking at me, his eyes hard. Ugh. Those stupid beautiful eyes. "I'm sorry. I'm pretty moody as well. But that's not the point, Jack. I had – I had another dream, okay?" Jack's features softened. "Well, only I don't think it was a dream. I think they may be memories, like you said."

Jack sighed and shrugged. "Well, are you going to let me into your house?"

I gave him a small smile. We started walking slowly towards my front door, and when we'd made it, I took out my keys and opened it, letting myself inside. "MOM. I'M HOME," I shouted and Jack chuckled. "Welcome to the Crawford household. Population …"

And with perfect timing, Amber ran into the living room, seeing me and running with her short, chubby legs and hugged mine. "Kimmy! You're home!" When she recognized Jack, she went red, and giggled. "You're pretty."

"Thank you," Jack said in a soft voice, and kneeled down to my sister's level. She was pretty short for her age – and also a slight bit chubbier. "So are you. What's your name?"

"Amber," Amber giggled again. "Are you Kim's other boyfriend?"

Jack looked up at me, amused. "Why yes, yes I am." Excuse me? "But call me Jack." Jack took her hand and kissed her knuckle. Amber giggled again. Looks like the little girl had a crush on him. But then again, she had a crush on Brody as well. Jack was really charming – like his previous self was. And he was cute with Amber, which I also liked. He had a sister, after all.

"Jack is a very sexy name," Amber said. I widened my eyes at the brunette.

"Pardon?" I shrilled.

Jack looked up with me, a full-on grin on his face. "Kim, what are you teaching your sister?" I face palmed, embarrassed. Amber ran off into the direction of the playroom, jumpily and happily, also slightly embarrassed. Jack stood upright, back at my level. "You like kids?"

"Who doesn't?" Jack shrugged, and then he unexpectedly winked. It kind of made me melt.

"Why don't we go up to my room? It's the only calm place in this house, trust me," I said, and Jack nodded, following me up the stairs and to my bedroom. When I turned around to see his reaction, he didn't seem to have an expression at all. It was unreadable. I will never understand him. "So … what do you think?"

"It's not pink," Jack said, as if he was unsure.

"That was my intention," I told him, flopping down onto my bed. "It's under construction. A very slow process it is." I lay onto my back, and sighed, looking at the ceiling. I felt Jack sit on the other side of my bed.

"Are you going to tell me?" Jack said, half joking.

I inhaled. "Well, it was me, and someone else, who I think is Brody. He had this talent that I didn't see, I don't know, it was twisted that way … and then he started going on and on about how he loved me and not somebody else. I was telling him it was wrong, but I liked him too, and then out of the blue, I just kissed him. It was my first kiss."

"You think that you had the memory of your first kiss?" I nodded.

"A part of me _knows_ it was the memory of my first kiss," I said honestly. I got up and jumped off my bed, making my way over to my dressing table, picking up a blue shoebox, and then walking back over to my bed, and spilt all of the photos onto it. "I found all of these while cleaning out my bedroom. I look at them every night, hoping they'd bring back more memories, but they just come when they want to."

Jack picked up a picture, the picture of Donna and I at some concert. We each had glow sticks in our hands, smiling. He picked up another of Grace and I this time, as little kids, on our bikes by the seaside. Grace's hair was blowing in her face, while mine was in pigtails, and I was laughing at the brunette. Jack looked up at me after he picked up the next picture. I laughed out loud, but he continued to look at me, appalled.

"Kim, what in the world?" Jack questioned.

"It brings me comfort," I joked.

Jack shook his head. "How does Brody, being shirtless, comfort you? I don't know what it is with chicks, and I probably never will. I don't mind at all. Because if it's this, I'd hate to know what happens when the guy's actually shirtless in front of you."

"He has gorgeous abs, you've got to admit," I continued playing with him, but he didn't respond. He just rolled his eyes.

Then it all hit me at once, and I couldn't help but feel a little stupid for not thinking about it before. I think I knew why Grace and I's friendship went downhill.

And I knew just who to question.

**. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .**

"_Have you guys seen the new kid?"_

_Kim Crawford was very curious about him. There'd been a whole lot of buzz going around Seaford high about him – and how attractive and mysterious he was. All the girls were swooning over him, getting giggly, knees turning into jelly. Kim didn't know what all this buzz was about. She didn't have any classes with him – or yet, anyways. So she turned to her best friends, Grace and Kelsey for all the goss. _

"_The new kid has a name," Grace giggled, closing her locker, which was situated right next to Kim's, by somewhat fate. "His name is Jack Anderson."_

"_Burn must be his middle name," Kelsey exhaled dreamily. "Because he is smoking!"_

_Kim rolled her eyes, closing her locker. "You guys are all totally overreacting."_

"_No, he's really that compelling, Kim," Grace smiled. _

_Kim was shocked, and it showed on her face. "Grace, you shouldn't be thinking about him at all. You have a boyfriend."_

"_Oh, wah, wah," Grace rolled her eyes. "You can call a guy hot and not like him. I've never had a conversation with the guy."_

"_However, I am happily single and ready to mingle," Kelsey said, her back rising from the lockers, and she rose a finger, which pointed across the hallway. Kim turned her head, her blonde hair flipping graciously as her hazel eyes locked with others from across the hallway. The teenager she made eye contact with was already staring at her, his eyes hard, almost as if they were wood. Like her friends had described, he was, indeed, "hot". He was lean, but still had enough muscle for him to be appealing. He had shaggy brown hair, and eyes that suited him perfectly. From Kim's distance, she could even manage to see the two beauty marks on both of his cheeks. It was like seeing utter perfection._

"_He seems to be interested in Kim," Kelsey giggled. _

"_Oh, everybody's interested in Kim," Grace sighed. "Forget that. Everybody's interested in early blooming blondes."_

"_Not need to hate," Kim shook her head, a smile on her face. "Maybe I should go over and talk to him."_

"_Maybe you should," Kelsey said. "And I will be your wing woman." _

"_Or maybe I shouldn't," Kim gave in. "I'll just wait for him to make the first move. As the guy, if he really wants it to happen, he'll make it happen. I can't get my hopes up and then as soon as I get there, he rejects me, and breaks my heart."_

"… _Are you keeping something from me, Kim?" Grace smirked. "do you like someone else?"_

"_Pfft! Like someone else?" Kim laughed. "If I did, I would have told you guys. I'm just trying to keep my options open, is all." _

_The bell rang, and Grace, Kelsey and Kim all said their goodbyes, heading off to their next lessons. _

**. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .**

**Author's Note:**

_Not the strongest chapter, in my opinion, but I guess it's better than nothing. I'm sure it was helpful, in some odd way. I just really didn't want to leave you guys hanging. _

_Not much to say, though, other than REVIEW. Tell me all your thoughts :D Please tell me if you're still a little confused. I'll explain further (: _

_Well, I better go sleep :P_

_Love you all!_

_Nia (: xx_


	6. Chapter 6: His Brighter Side

**Author's Note:**

_OMG. I am the worst person in the world. You can hate me now. But please don't. I've been having this major block, because I was getting so many other ideas for one-shots (which I saved for the future, thank God) but thanks to Ed Sheeran music, and recent events, I was inspired to write. I even had the horrible thought of putting this on hiatus._

_All of you, I can see, are really confused. Well, don't fear, my little readers, lots of answers will be revealed in this chapter, followed by Brody/Kim/Jack drama, secrets revealed, cat fights and Kick fluff. ^.^ _

_I'm glad to be writing for Wide Awake again. (:_

_Now, let's get this show on the road :D Oh, and PS, I'm trying out a new writing format, which I think is better than the other. ;P and PSS, please excuse the language later in the chapter. Sorry, I had to vent about that part. It was the only idea I had in my head anywyas. _

_**DISCLAIMER: **__I repeat, when I kiss Josh Hutcherson, I will own Kickin' It …_

**:.:.:.:.:**

_**Two Weeks Later …**_

**:.:.:.:.:**

**KIM**

"What's actually playing the whole time you have those things on your ears?" I was in Jack's bedroom, sitting on top of his bed, doing homework with him. He'd finally switched off the music because I asked him a question about the algebra we had to do.

Luckily, a week ago, when I'd finally gained the courage to actually come back to the Anderson household, Bree and Alison hadn't asked a lot of questions about my crazy breakdown, which occurred a month ago. Now it had become a normal routine to walk home – or walk beside Jack while he was on his skateboard – with the brunet, and I'd come to his house and chill.

It's pretty scary how quickly you can become attached to someone.

Jack smirked at me, and leaned away from my head, untangling the headphones from him neck, and placed the black Beats scruffily onto my head, and I adjusted them onto my ears. He had his iPod in his hands, and I saw his thumb hit the play button.

When the music first hit me, I'd gotten a little fright, firstly, because of the volume, and secondly, because of how violent and angry it was. It wasn't metal rock, it was more of rock from the 70's, but it was still pretty heavy on the ears. Jack laughed at my reaction as my eyes stayed wide. I recognized the song. It's the kind of music my uncle listened to, which would make sense, because he's the bad-biker type.

"You look like the rock type," I told him when I slipped the headphones off my ears and he pressed pause. "I'm not judging you, or anything, but don't you listen to … I don't know … calm music?"

"Like?" He raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"I don't know ... Ed Sheeran?" Jack shook his head. "Bon Iver?"

"You mean Bon Jovi?"

"…No," I sighed. "You know, the dude that sings Skinny Love." Jack shook his head, confused, this time. "You don't know that song? It's a legend. And it's my all-time favorite song, just for, you know, future reference."

"Really?" Jack said playfully, but with a straight face. "Because if I were speaking to the Other Kim, she'd say her all-time favorite song is something by … I don't know, One Direction." I laughed, but I didn't want to diss the band in the Anderson house, otherwise Alison would barge in, and start stabbing me with a steak knife.

"I like indie, I guess," I said, and sighed dreamily. "It's good for the soul." I went back to doing my homework, when a question came to mind. I caught myself looking at Jack, while his head was down, with a very uneasily. His eyes met mine after a while. "What happened to you?" my mouth slipped. I didn't want this turning into some emotional soap opera, but my curiosity got the best of me. "You weren't always like this, were you?"

Jack didn't answer the questions immediately, and continued to look at me, which made me kind of uncomfortable. I felt as if I made things awkward, but then he spoke, and I was relieved. "I wasn't." Another pause. "But, I guess listening to my music makes my troubles kind of fade away. Like the things that they write about, seem even more than mine, and it brings me … reassurance." Reassurance? Then it must have been pretty bad.

"If you don't mind me asking, what is the problem?" I could see he was startled, and then I kicked myself mentally for asking such a question. _Of course_ he would mind. "if it makes you feel better, I'll tell you a secret." Jack didn't react at all, just kept still, looking at me, so I just started my very short, to the point, story. "I'm not my mom's child."

Jack's expression changed a little, looking a bit sorrowful. "What do you mean?"

"You heard me," I said tightly. It was true. "I'm not my mom's kid. I have another mom, but then, she died giving birth to me. And my dad remarried when I was two, so she's been the only mom I've ever known."

Jack winced. "No, you shouldn't have told me. I'm sorry if I kind of pushed you …"

"No, it's fine," I shrugged. "If we're going to kick this best friend thing into high gear, then I should just tell you the truth about me."

"I'm sorry," Jack said softly. He patted on my knee.

"I never knew her," Kim shrugged. "But I've seen her in pictures. She was really beautiful."

What Jack said next came as a surprise. "She's looking down on you with a smile, I'm sure. You're probably just as beautiful as she was." Jack didn't even say it with an emotion, just blankly. But I knew he meant it. Jack was pretty wise for his age. It was kind of ironic he said that, because I do look just my mom. Not that I don't look a smidge bit like my current mother, because she was blonde and had hazel eyes as well. I guess my dad had a thing for blondes back in the day.

"Thank you," I said, and I felt my cheeks heat up.

"Well, I guess I have to tell you about my secret," Jack said, and leaned back into his pillow.

"You don't have to if you don't want to …"

"I have to, Kim. Not just for you, but also for myself," Jack put his hands behind his head, and I lay back next to him, looking at the profile of his face. Not that I only realize it now, but Jack was pretty gorgeous. "My mom and dad aren't really in a good place right now."

"Divorced?" I asked, and he turned his head, his brown eyes big. Our faces were so close, I could feel his breathing on my cheeks.

He shook his head awkwardly. "No. My dad's a lawyer, so he gets his ways." He sighed. "I used to do martial arts, but I quit, because he'd always loved me doing martial arts. I remember one night, waking up to loud screaming. And it continued for long, until it was only my mother's howling screaming coming from the kitchen. One night, I'd decided to go down there. When I eventually got down there, I saw that my dad was beating up my mom, shoving her into the table, slapping her, kicking her."

I was amazed at how Jack said this all platonically, not a trace of sadness in his voice. But still, it made hearing the story worse. I felt really bad. My stomach was twisting in knots – the bad kind. "It started to happen more often, and even in front of Alison and I … but then …"

"Stop," I told him, closing my eyes for a long time. "I don't like forcing you into things. I'm sorry I did."

"No, Kim …"

"Jack, you will tell me when you're ready," I couldn't do this to him. Even if he did maintain a poker face while telling the story, I knew that it wasn't all right, and I knew inside he was hurting. I could see it in those gorgeous brown eyes of his.

We just lay there; the only sound in the air was of our quiet breathing. I looked into his eyes, he looked into mine. "I like this you better."

"Me too," I smiled.

"Have you had another dream, lately?"

I didn't know how to respond. "… Not really. I've been having dreams, like normal, you know, but not stuff that I actually think would happen."

"What's that?"

"I don't know, a huge green monster breaking into my house at night and eating out of our fridge."

Jack chuckled. Oh my God. What a lovely chuckle he had. "I remember hearing something about a boogie monster on the loose." I knew he was joking. Another uncomfortable pause. "Don't you think you should tell your doctor about this? Regaining memory?"

"I don't have to," I shrugged, but it felt odd, because I was lying on my side. "Besides, my next check up is in three weeks. They're doing check ups on my brain, and they're checking if I hadn't picked up something from this whole schizophrenic …"

"I hate it when you do that," Jack said, his eyes leaving me. "God, Kim. I don't think you're crazy at all. You can't help it. You're human."

That was probably the nicest thing anyone had ever said to me.

I smiled at the brunet. "Why don't you show this side of you to more people?"

"What side?"

"This nice, kind, un-dark side."

Jack sighed, and his eyes met mine again. "Because, if I did, people would expect more of me. I don't want to fail at living up to their expectations. Yeah, I don't care about what people think about me, but I don't want to fail them, even if I hate them. It's the worst feeling in the world. If I don't show people who I really am, shut myself out, it doesn't get to me, because they don't know the truth."

In that moment, I swear, if I could, I would kiss Jack. He managed to make me feel so light, like this crazy thing wasn't so bad. It wasn't – not with him by my side. If I lost him, I don't know where I'd be.

"You guys can make out now," I heard a familiar voice say. Jack turned his head, and I looked up, seeing a very entertained Alison standing at the door, a wide grin spread across her face.

"Alison! Can you not read!" Jack shrilled, getting up from his bed.

Alison shrugged. "You are such an idiot, Jack. Just flipping kiss her already. Even mom, _mom_ can see that you have … feelings for her. Kiss her and be done with it. God."

"Out!" I saw Jack's finger rise, as it pointed out the door. "Now."

"'Kay, then. But mom's calling you because she needs help with getting the groceries from the car." I guess this was my queue to exit. I got up from Jack's bed and started gathering my things together.

Jack looked back at me. "You leaving?"

"Yeah, guess I should," I shrugged my bag onto my shoulder, making my way to him. "My mom probably is getting started on dinner and stuff, and it's Thursday, so I have to help her. Besides, it's Eddie's party tomorrow, remember?"

"I don't do parties."

"Well, _I'm_ inviting you."

"Well, only if you're going, then. Goodnight," Jack said, and reached in for a goodbye hug. Alison "aww"ed at this. I rolled my eyes, and I could see from the corner of my eye as we parted that Jack had to. I gave a hug to Alison as well. But as we hugged, she whispered something into my ear.

"Only the special ones see his good side."

**:.:.:.:.:**

**KELSEY**

I can't believe I was letting her do this.

All for her own selfish doing.

There was no denying that Donna had a crush on Brody, but Kim was with him. And she seemed to be willing to do anything just to get her with him. I loved Donna, she was my best friend, but Kim was my best friend and well, and I couldn't just sit and watch the alpha-blonde ruin her and Brody's relationship.

It hadn't been going well, though, I could see. Ever since the accident, they seem a little more … I don't know, distant? Not that they weren't before. Right before was even worse, and they were fighting like hell. But now, they don't fight at all. It's more like they're growing up. They'd been together for more than a year now.

But Donna was going to ruin all of that with just Skype call.

"She's not here, Brody," Donna said innocently, making me want to spit on her extensions, which were lying very sloppily on the floor. "What did she tell you?" Brody had just called in to check on Kim, but she wasn't here. She lied about it, for sure.

"She said she was having a girl's night," Brody shrugged. "I asked her if she wanted to catch a movie, but she didn't even seem interested. I called her, but … nothing."

Donna looked at me, smirking. I put my fingers through my hair. What was she doing? I mean, I knew what she was doing, but it wasn't right!

Then she said it. "Well, I, for one, think that she's out with Jack."

"The quiet dude?" Brody's eyes widened on the screen. "That she's constantly with?"

"I wouldn't say constant," I added, Brody bringing his attention to me. "I mean, they've just become, you know, like, friends. Yeah, so what if she's out with him? They're probably bonding." I couldn't tell if I'd made the situation better or worse. But I spoke true honesty. So what if Kim was gaining an extra guy friend? Is it such a crime?

"I get bad vibes from him," the blondie just _had_ to add that in, didn't she? "I think he may like Kim."

Brody folded his arms. "Well, he better lay off."

"I hope so too, babes," Donna added in, her voice so plastic and fake. "It would be so sad if you two broke up."

Brody stayed still and said nothing for at least two minutes, just looking at Donna with such a look that could totally make you want to crawl into a cave, curl into a ball and die. But why? His always-kind (well, they looked kind, but _he_ wasn't too much, really) green eyes burning a hole in the screen. "Okay, well, I better go, you know. To finish off some homework."

"Kiss, kiss," Donna blew a kiss at the camera and I waved goodbye to the brunet until his face disappeared from the screen. I looked at Donna and slapped her on the arm. "What was that for?"

"For being a whore," she thought I was stupid. How dare she? I marched out of her house as fast as my legs could take me. I have to tell Kim as soon as possible, or otherwise this guilt was going to eat me inside.

**:.:.:.:.:**

_One Day Later …_

**:.:.:.:.:**

The night after the very suspicious phone call, I was in Kim's room with her, and we were getting ready for Eddie's party together. She looked spectacular in her little black dress, while I was dressed in cute jeans and a neon orange tank and my red heels.

It was awesome because Donna wasn't there, going on and on about maybe some guy that flirted with her at the mall. She was actually at the mall right now, getting her hair done especially for the party.

I was busy doing mine, redoing a messy bun over and over again, just to get it perfect. Kim was next to me, applying on a very low dose of make up as we shared a seat. We were busy laughing at some ridiculous stuff that we had done in the past, about Donna, and the estimate amount of how many guys she's done, and then, I couldn't help but ask her about the mysterious hottie she's recently befriended.

"Where were you last night, Kim Crawford?" I eyed her.

Kim sighed. "I can't lie." No, she can't. Because her lying was absolutely terrible. "You know Jack Anderson, right?"

"Who doesn't know of such a beautiful creature?" I rolled my eyes. Kim looked at me strangely. "Well, is he ugly?"

"I have to admit, he's gorgeous," Kim sighed. "And I've been going over to his house for the last view days. I feel bad about it because I always lie to you guys about it, but then Jack is so nice and welcoming, and makes me feel warm inside." What? "I know. It's bad."

"Do you like him?" I asked her softly. "It's okay if you do. I won't tell anyone."

"I don't know," Kim shrugged, brushing mascara onto her long eyelashes. "I mean, a part of me kind of does but then another part of me still likes Brody, but I guess I love him more like a brother now. I don't think that's enough."

I was a little confused. "So you like him?"

"I guess," Kim whined. She put down her mascara and stared at me distressfully through the mirror. I had to tell her.

"Kim, yesterday, Donna mentioned to Brody that you might have been with Jack, and he didn't seem too happy," I exhaled.

Kim didn't seem too bothered. "She's really getting on my nerves."

"She's always on mine," I laughed, but then my smile dropped as soon as I noticed a brunette in one of the pictures on Kim's new mirror. Wait? She still had this picture? "Kim, I thought you hated Grace. Why is she on your mirror?"

Kim ran her fingers through her hair. "… Not what you may think." There was a silence. "Kels, what happened between us? I can't remember, because of, you know, the accident." Yeah. Kim had recently told me about what were the _real_ effects of what had happened after the accident. I found it quite fascinating, actually. But that was wrong, so I didn't say it out loud.

She was going to have to know. Everybody knew but her, poor girl. "Well, I'll cut the long story short. While Grace was dating Brody, long ago, when we were all still tight, you liked him too. And Grace was in love with him. But he obviously didn't feel the same way at all, because you told me that he had kissed you in the park, and you kissed him back. But you didn't want any feelings for him."

"What happened at some party?" She asked curiously, concentrating. Oh, so she'd heard?

"A lot of bad words were exchanged, the truth came out, feelings were revealed, a couple broke up, and you guys nearly ripped each other limb from limb. Thank the Lord Jerry was there to help us, though." Kim opened her mouth, about to ask another question, I knew, but I beat her to it. "Your mom and his mom have book club together, so you guys used to be, like, best friends. For a really brief period, at least two weeks, you guys dated, but then you broke things up because you actually liked Brody, and that started shit."

Kim nodded, and then she looked sad. "I was such a slut." I laughed, and then she joined in with me, and she smudged her mascara onto her cheek, and we broke out again into hysterical laughter.

I missed the old times.

"I'm glad I can tell you things and rely on you to not tell anyone," Kim smiled, and hugged me. I was glad too. "You aren't gonna tell anybody, right?"

"Oh, hell no," I laughed. "Now, c'mon, we better hurry up, or we'll be late for the party."

**:.:.:.:.:**

**KIM**

The party was in full swing by the time we'd gotten there. The house was packed, red lights illuminating the house. I could hear splashing from the pool outside, over the loud blasting electro music coming from the bar, which had turned into a DJ setup, along with, well, a bar.

The party was already crazy, and it was barely even ten. By midnight, there would be hung-over people sleeping all over the place. I was going to make sure I was not one of those people. I was going to make sure not to get drunk, because when I'm drunk, I start getting all giggly, a little aggressive, and I far a lot – and that is not attractive at all.

Kelsey and I set off, trying to find Donna and Brody, but I'd bumped into a Latino first. He turned and wolf whistled. "Looking good, Kimmy!"

I flipped my hair and laughed. "I know." My smile faded very quickly. "Um, do you know where Donna and Brody might be? Are they here yet?"

"I saw them earlier," Jerry shrugged. "They were, like, the first ones here, actually." I raised an eyebrow. They were? Jerry looked at Kelsey and smiled. "Why don't I get you a drink?" he winked. I rolled my eyes.

"I am a little thirsty," Kelsey sighed and looked at me. "Sure you're going to be okay?"

"Totally," I laughed nervously as Jerry and Kelsey left me, standing alone for a few seconds, but I continued to search for my friend and boyfriend alone.

It wasn't easy, for sure. I'd bumped into thousands of people, guys were grinding up on me, and people I didn't even know where saying hi to me, which made the journey all the more distracting.

I heard my name being called by a very friendly voice, a voice that always sent chills down my back. I turned around, and I came face-to-face with the brunet friend I'd invited. "Hey!" we both greeted in unison, and I swung my arms around his neck and squeezed him briefly, but tightly, and soon (and regretfully) let go. He didn't look too bad, actually. He was wearing a black collar shirt, with a really snazzy white tie, but he looked casual, due to the jeans and Supras that he was wearing. If it were possible, he looked even more possible than usual.

He saw me staring at his tie. "Alison made me wear it. Probably something she saw an Irish Direction dude wear." I couldn't help but laugh. "You just come?"

"Yeah, actually," I said. "I'm looking for Donna and Brody. Seen them anywhere?" Jack pointed at somewhere behind me, and I turned around, following his finger. As he had stated, indeed, Donna and Brody were sitting next to each other, on the couch, laughing their butts off at something the group surrounding them had said. Seeing the beer bottles in their hands, they could have been drunk.

I made my way through the crowd, my hand clutching Jack's forearm so I couldn't lose him, and I found myself standing upon the presence of the two people I'd been searching for.

"Donna! I texted you, like, five times, but you never replied," I said to her, as soon as she and my boyfriend noticed I was standing in front of them. I looked at Brody. "And you! I called you."

I hadn't seen Brody, in, like, a day, due to the cheer squad taking an outing. I texted him, but he didn't seem as happy as he did when he had received texts from me at the beginning of the week. It was actually a little sad.

"I'm sorry, Kim, didn't want to answer and ruin your girls' night," Brody's voice dripped with unkind sarcasm. Oh my word, seriously? Brody's eyes landed on Jack. "What is he doing here?"

"I invited him," I shrugged. "Well, Eddie did, but he wasn't going to come until I convinced him."

My boyfriend rose from his seat, a little bit of chatter starting up with the people I didn't know who had been chatting and laughing up a storm with Donna and Brody earlier. "To be honest man, I don't like how you are with Kim."

"How am I with Kim?" Jack asked, calmly.

Brody wasn't so much. "I don't know. Your relationship seems a little intimate for my liking." Oh, come on. "I'm just advising you to lay off of her, before things get a little heated."

"What are you, my mother?" Jack chuckled stiffly. "You have no control over me, and no control over her either." Whoa. Big step there, Jack.

"I'm not controlling her, I'm looking out for her! She's my girlfriend! And I don't think she's safe with tools like you," Brody stepped closer towards Jack, a little crowd gathering. I was watching this from the sidelines, uncomfortably. I had a feeling this really wasn't going to end well.

"I'm the tool? Dude, you bang every girl you see behind her back," Jack shot back.

"You know what? I'm over this." Next thing I knew, Brody had hold of my wrist, hard and strong. "C'mon, Kim. Let's ditch this joint. I'm sure we can have some fun some place else."

And then Jack did something that stunned me. Brody's grip from my wrist had gone after Jack shoved him away from me. "Don't tell her what to do. If she wants to leave, she'll leave. Stop controlling her."

"Why don't you take a step back?" Brody spat.

"Make me, mommy," Jack said in a very high-pitched voice. Brody charged at him, his face going as red as the lights, and, like a bull, ran towards Jack. At first, I thought he was just doing to shove him back, but then I saw his fist spring out from his side, and it came into contact with Jack's jaw. I shrieked in horror, and the music in the background was cut off.

Jack's body fell back onto the floor, as Brody lowered down to his level, and continued to beat him up, but Jack fighting back. Even though it looked like Jack was winning, I knew I had to break them up.

This was not happening.

It couldn't be.

It was ridiculous.

"STOP!" I shrieked, as hooting and whistles emerged from the large crowd around the fight now. I shrieked a few times again before actually going in, and squeezing in between them, separating them. I'd been hit a few times, luckily it didn't really hurt. "STOP! BOTH OF YOU, STOP!" But they just continued. But sitting between them wasn't helping, so I shoved them apart with my hands. Brody and Jack's little WWE smack down had simmered down, due to Brody standing a few feet away from his opponent.

Brody looked at me coldly. "Kim, if you want to save our relationship, then you stop seeing him, because I don't like what's going on between you two."

Excuse me? "God, Brody!" I shouted. "There is nothing going on between Jack and I! We're just getting to know each other!"

"Then don't," Brody said, pointing at Jack. "Can't you see it, Kim? He's a loser."

Oh no he did not. "Oh? Okay the, Brody. If he's a loser, then you're just a downright douche. When you've grown up, call me, and then tell me who's the loser now."

"Are you breaking up with me?" It seemed to echo, and then a few gasped escaped random people.

"I don't date little boys," I said coldly, and helped Jack up. Adrenaline was pumping through my veins, and I felt as if a big lift had been lifted off my back. Brody looked at me in horror, as if I'd just grown a third boob. But he didn't say anything else, because then he walked away. A few "oh"es and "jeez"es were coming from the guys. Donna got up from her seat, about to chase Brody. Who in the hell does she think she is? He just got out of a relationship. "What do you think you're doing?"

"I think I'm going to go calm down a friend!" Donna shouted. "You just broke his heart."

"Calming down a friend, and sleeping with him are two completely different things," I shouted. The crowd was obviously getting excited. But I'm not going to let Donna win. I've never liked her, and I'm pretty sure the old me didn't like her either. I was doing everybody a favor by setting her straight.

"I HAVE NEVER SLEPT WITH BRODY!" Donna snapped.

"Yeah, that story is as real as your boobs are, honey." Yeah, everyone else might have been impressed and found what I just said really funny, shocking, or really true. There was one thing wrong with what I just said though. What I had said hadn't come from my own voice. It sounded like another completely, _felt_ like another completely.

I felt my body begin to feel really heavy, like somebody was on top of me, breathing over me. I felt as if I was being possessed. "You think having sex with my boyfriend while I'm in the hospital, _dying_, is funny, bitch? He may not be my boyfriend anymore, but he sure as hell doesn't deserve a whore like you!"

"Oh, I'm the whore?" Donna screamed. "You are such a hypocrite! It's not like I'm in love with Brody, and I didn't steal him away from you! I'm just providing to him what you can't, which is a sex life, you virgin!"

"Go burn in …" I couldn't finish my sentence, because then my sight had become hazy. My head started pounding hard, my heart pumping my blood faster, and I felt myself choke on air, gasping for it, but it wouldn't go down. My body started shaking uncontrollably and my legs collapsed.

Everything went weak. And then it was lights out.

**:.:.:.:.:**

_A brunette was crying in the bathroom, her face wet with tears, looking down at the sink in front of her. Her profile was shaking with sobs, and she could barely look up at the mirror. There was a blonde girl in the corner of the room, looking at the brunette, concerned. When she's spotted the peeper, she snarled, "GET OUT."_

"_I'm not sorry," The peeping blonde folded her arms. "I love him, Grace."_

"_I love Brody too!" The brunette called Grace snapped, making the blonde jump in fright. "I loved him first! But no! Because you're all perfect and pretty, that automatically means you don't back off! You always take things from me, Kim! You never let me in the spotlight. It's all about you!"_

"_I'm sorry I have feelings," Kim shouted back. "Maybe if you treated Brody with a little more respect, he'd love you, but no. You're always all over Jerry!"_

"_Oh, don't bring him into this!" Grace growled, a foot distance in between the two ex-best friends. "Because you're just as much to blame as I am! Okay! Maybe I wasn't very appropriate with him, okay, but you! You used him to make _my _boyfriend jealous! And then you broke his heart! He needed a shoulder to cry on!"_

"_I didn't use him!" Kim defended. _

"_Just admit it," Grace's voice wasn't loud anymore, but it remained cold. "Admit that you used your best friends. You used us just to get to Brody. You're just like Donna." An awkward pause fell upon the two. "You can't keep your filthy hands to yourself!"_

_Kim shook her head, and shoved the girl opposite of her. "You did not just say that!"_

_Grace rolled her eyes. "Stop trying to act all innocent! All you and Donna want are guys, popularity, and good hair. All you and Donna are, are bitches."_

_Kim's heart sank when the girl she used to call her best friend called her the B word. She wasn't used to it, people calling her names. But now she knew she was going to have to get used to it, to prove a point. _

"_Well, guess what, Grace? It takes a bitch to know a bitch," and the blonde girl stormed out the bathroom, leaving the brunette, shaking with tears, sinking down onto the floor, and sobbing loudly into her palms. _

**:.:.:.:.:**

**Author's Note:**

_Ooh, dramatic. :D And answer-full, at the same time, I think. I hope all of you are less confused._

_I know, the chapter is a bit short, but I was writing this all, like, right now, and it's one in the morning down here, and I'm really tired, I'm basically drooling on my keyboard as I write this. I hope this makes up for my not updating. _

_Please review and tell me what you think (if you're still with me) :D I like reviews. They motivate me heaps. And I've been feeling a bit down lately, because of school, and friends and stuff. Not that I'm trying to guilt you into it :P if you don't want to review because it was a crap chapter, I don't blame you. And sorry for the mistakes, I'm half-asleep, like I said, and I want to sleep. I always was to sleep, lol. _

_A few questions still unanswered, but we're getting there :D Just notifying you guys that I'm planning to wrap this story up at about, I don't know, chapter 12 or 13, I don't know. Around those lines. Depends where the story goes. _

_Love you all so much!_

_Nia (: x_


	7. Chapter 7: Mixing Things Up

**Author's Note:**

_Oh my word, you guys :') Your reviews totally motivate me, and keep me going (: All of you seemed really happy that Kim dumped Brody (lol) and yes, I kind of realized how predictable the last chapter was, but I do have something in store for all of you, that you might not, you know, expect. And I also have realized I've been neglecting Milton, Julie and Grace, so I'm fixing that up. _

_Another question I came to ask myself: What happened to Rudy?_

_I'm working on that too. Just thought I'd put that out there. _

_Well, there won't be as much swearing in this chapter, sorry about the last. But some of the things I write for this story actually happened to me and stuff. I can't help the number of whores rising in this world, you know what I mean? _

_You're not here for my story. You're here for … I dunno, this one. :P _

_You know what? I should shut up now and just start. _

_**DISCLAIMER: **__Don't own Kickin' It, at all. _

**:.:.:.:.:**

**JACK**

When Kim's body collapsed onto the floor, people started getting suspicious. I was panicking. I was trying to take deep and relaxed breaths, but I couldn't just stand there, continuously running my fingers through my hair nervously. I had to take action, an action that Kim would probably _kill_ me for doing when she regains consciousness.

I was going to get her to a hospital.

Because, seriously, she can't keep collapsing all over the place.

I stepped forward, rushing to Kim's lapsed figure on the ground. I felt bad for her. She didn't look peaceful at all. She looked stressed, and when I felt how hot she was, I was kind of shocked at the spike of temperature.

"Okay, what the hell is happening over here?" I heard Eddie's voice call from a distance. "Is Kim drunk?" I gulped. I'm pretty sure that was certainly not the case. Then came a crouching Eddie beside me. "What happened?"

I sighed. "I need to get Kim to the hospital, and I need to get her there now."

"Move over people!" a female voice hollered. "You better move! Excuse me – sorry! – okay, don't do that – sorry – Jack!" I looked behind me, seeing a very agitated Kelsey, who stared in horror at the idle Kim. "Did she …"

I narrowed my eyes at Kelsey. "Wait, you know?"

Kelsey nodded quickly. "Kim recently told me. What should we do?"

"I could just revive her again," Eddie smirked. I slapped the back of his head and shook my head in dismay. Ugh. Sometimes, the dude could be really gross.

I looked at Kelsey, and said, "A hospital. Now. But first, we need a car."

"Of course," Kelsey hesitated. "Wait … you can drive?"

It really didn't matter right now. My mom had taught me at thirteen how to drive in case some kind of emergency happened and there was no one to drive us to an emergency room. I didn't have a license, or even a permit, but I needed to do this for Kim. She'd thank me later … right?

I'm not so sure about that part.

I cradled Kim's surprisingly (not that she looked heavy at all) light body into my arms, her legs dangling off my forearms. Eddie and Kelsey rose with me off of the ground. "Eddie, could I use a car?"

"Got none," The African-American stated. "But, I know Jerry came with his cousin's car. You could ask him."

It wasn't actually hard to find Jerry. You just had to think of a place that had a lot of girls, and Grace. And knowing Grace, the dancing queen she is, she would be on the dance floor. And that's exactly where we found them. A few were shocked, seeing Kim in my arms, but then others seemed to take it as a natural action. It was a party after all.

But Jerry had a shocked reaction. Like a little puppy, Grace followed the Latino towards us, but she didn't seem to care at all. She didn't care about Kim, I knew, and a few months ago, I didn't either, but I wasn't inhuman. I would have still been the slightest bit concerned. It was just a trait I possessed.

"Holy quack!" Jerry shrieked, shuffling over to us. He started playing this Kim's hair weirdly. "What happened?"

"Jerry, I need to use your car. Kim's in trouble," I said, quite sternly.

Jerry shrugged. "Sure. Whatever. Just make sure to bring it back by one. My curfew's two, and my mom really flips out when I'm not home in time."

"Why would a drunk person need a hospital?" Grace said, rudely. "God. Just chill. She'll come around."

I was about to say something, but Kelsey basically said the words I wanted to say, only twisting them into something a little meaner. "I know we were friends some time ago, but I will forgive you for your very mean comment, because I know that you're on your period this time around, but it doesn't seem like you did." Grace looked astounded. "Unless that stain at the back of your jeans is just red wine." And Grace fled.

Yeah, I wasn't going to say I knew when Grace's period was, but I was going to say something in order for her to run away.

Jerry handed me his keys, and looked at the three of us suspiciously, and then smirked. I didn't even want to know what horrible thoughts he had in that twisted head of his.

Kelsey, Kim and I found Jerry's car, a really sweet looking black Mercedes, parked fairly far away, but I didn't mind. Kim wasn't heavy, but I still felt a stiff strain start in my biceps. I could hear the beach, which wasn't far from here. But the closer to the beach we were, the further away the hospital was. I estimated we'd be there in at least ten minutes. There weren't many hospitals near the beachfronts of Seaford.

Kelsey opened the door for me and I carefully lay Kim down in the backseat, trying not to disturb her, even though that wouldn't be likely. Kelsey climbed into the passenger's seat and I, the drivers. I installed the keys into the ignition, and I heard the car start, the dashboard lighting up. I wouldn't mind stealing this car at all.

"Since when do you know how to drive?" Kelsey asked me, as I reversed out of the parking space, focusing completely. I didn't want to be responsible for any deaths. I shrugged, still trying to get out of this parking space. I changed gears, and I smoothly started to drive.

There was a short silence before Kelsey spoke again. "I don't think Kim would like any medical attention about her situation."

"She doesn't," I said, my eyes still on the road. "But she's pretty stubborn. Whenever I bring it up, she goes all …" I didn't want to say insane, so I replaced the word. "… hysterical."

I could see Kelsey nodded understandably in the corner of my eye. "You guys seem … I don't know, close?" I shrugged. I didn't know whether to nod or shake my head, but I didn't even have time to properly respond, because Kelsey continued. "Gosh. Tonight was pretty dramatic, huh?"

"I guess," I said, not removing my eyes from the road.

There was a pause. "Okay, seriously. What's wrong with you?"

"Excuse me?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Or are you normally like this?"

"Like what?"

"Cold and mysterious," Kelsey said. "Yeah, you appear to be so on the outside, but I thought that maybe you were a little more non-dark." Kelsey giggled. "But keep it up. It's got the girls going crazy, including me." Hm. "Although, I could never actually keep you to myself, because of Kim. I wouldn't be a good friend just to take her away from you."

Wait, what? I looked at her now. She winked at me before my eyes went back to the road. "What do you mean take her away from me?"

"You'd think that you being quiet would also mean you being quite observant, but I guess I shouldn't judge a book on it's cover." What did Kelsey mean by all of this? Not to sound conceded, but I was very used to girls "going crazy" over me. But I didn't think of Kim as the type to, after all. She was my friend. Thinking about her like that, or she me, would be wrong, wouldn't it? Kelsey saw the confusion developing on my features. "She likes you."

I denied it. "Kim doesn't like me."

"What if I told you she told me?"

"Did she?"

"She doesn't need to tell me. I can see it. Brody can see it. Donna can see it. Everyone else can see it but you two. It's kind of, like, skinny love in a way." What Kelsey said made me think. I didn't want to jump to any conclusions. Maybe Kim didn't like me at all, and Kelsey was just being, I don't know, a _girl_. "She's a pretty awesome girl, Jack. Don't let her slip through your fingers. You caught her when no one else did."

At first, it was out of pity, this friendship. But then I got to know her properly, I realized that she had changed, and it was probably for the better. I would have never guessed for Kim to be so down-to-earth, so sweet but still took no crap from anyone. And on top of all of that – I have to add – she was beautiful. I didn't care if she had some insane disorder, she was my friend. But is that all I want her to be?

No. I can't. I must be hormonal.

I was brought out of my thoughts when I heard a gasp come from the backseat. I turned my head to quickly check, and I saw Kim had sat up. She wasn't supposed to wake up so quickly. Normally, her lapses went on for more time, but I guess because they were becoming more frequent, it was easier.

"Kim! You're awake!" Kelsey sighed relieved. "Are you okay?"

"Where am I?" was the first thing that Kim said. Her voice seemed a little croaky. "Where are we going?"

Kelsey said, "Kim, you need to get this fainting thing checked out, because it's freaking out everybody."

I met eyes with Kim in the review mirror. She was scowling. "Jack. Pull over."

I had to be harsh with her. I was trying to help her. "No."

"Jack, I'm asking you to please, just please pull over," Kim's voice sounded pleading, but at the same time angry.

I only started to speed up. Kim's breathing became loud. "JACK! PULL OVER!" Her very unexpected outburst made me swerve, and caused Kelsey to jump out of her seat. She'd caught tight grip with my shoulder.

I decided to pull over, before she killed me. Why couldn't she just appreciate that I was trying to help her? The dreams are getting out of hand. I was worried about her, but angry with her for not letting me just help her out. She was so goddamn stubborn. When I did eventually stop the car, I switched it off. I don't think our journey was going to continue from here.

The car was in a deafening silence. Kelsey's head was shaking, looking at both Kim and I. Kim's cold stare was burning a hole through my back, but I didn't look back at her. I kept my body facing front, my stare focused on the sidewalk and the trees outside the window.

"I can't believe you, Jack," Kim's low voice told me, and then I felt the car shift, and a door open then close. I looked at Kelsey and she looked back at me. I let out a puff of breath, but it felt more like steam. I was going to have to chase after her, wasn't I? She couldn't just go out into the streets in the middle of the night, especially because the last time she did that, she was hit by a car.

"Kim," I shouted, opening my car door, and then slamming it closed, marching towards the blonde in the dark, as she was strutting away from me. "Kim! Stop!" I couldn't help but let out a little chuckle when I'd gotten closer to her. "Where are you going?"

"Away from you," Kim said, turning around. I nearly collided into her because she had stopped. "How could you take advantage of me like that?"

"Take advantage of you?" I was stunned. "Kim, don't you see that these dreams are actually a problem? All I'm trying to do it help you!"

"So you thought it was okay to drag me off to the hospital against my will while I was unconscious? You have no right, Jack! Absolutely no right!" Kim's body was shaking slightly, her face close to mine.

"You were in trouble, I was leading you to help," I defended, my voice growing pretty loud. "I know you've been through a lot, okay, I get it! But you can't just pretend like everything's okay when it isn't!"

"YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!" Kim's voice echoed through the night air, and I'd started to feel even more cold. It hurt, a little, what she'd said, but I didn't let it show. That's what gets you into trouble. Showing emotion. "You don't understand what it's like to wake up in the morning to a life that isn't even yours, having to accept the fact that everything you know is a lie. I'm trying to find my way, Jack, but I can't do that if you won't let me."

"So going through all of this pain is finding your way?" I spat back.

"I want to remember, Jack! I don't want any help! I don't _need_ any help! I already know I'm freaking insane! I don't need a bunch of doctors telling me that I am."

I had to set her straight. "Kim, I may not know what it's like, going through what you're going through, but I know what pain is like. Everybody does. And torturing yourself and beating yourself up, calling yourself crazy, is not going to help anything! Yes, maybe you're a little different, so what? Just accept it and stop using it as a lousy excuse to not move on! You can't keep pushing away every source of support and care you get, because that's all I'm trying to provide! Because no one was there for me when I needed them and I'm not going to let that happened to you!"

A weight had been lifted from my bad, and I could see Kim was a little startled by my comeback, and she looked as if she was about to burst into tears. But she didn't. After the really long pause, she cleared her throat. "Jack. I want to go home."

I nodded. And then I suddenly felt really tired. Going home and getting some rest would be good for all of us, I think. I walked beside Kim back to the car in silence. When we'd reached the car, and got inside, Kelsey stiffened, as if the awkward atmosphere had already gotten to her.

She twisted her body, and faced Kim from the front seat. "Are you okay?"

"Not really, but I think I just need to sleep it off," Kim's eyes were on me when she said so, and Kelsey just nodded and sighed as I started up the car and began to drive again.

**:.:.:.:.:**

I drove into Kim's quiet neighborhood. It was surprisingly calm for a Friday night, I had to say. But the Crawfords did live in a very safe and sophisticated neighborhood, so I assumed not too many teenagers lived here.

I pulled in front of Kim's house and switched off the engine, the lights inside the car turning off. Kim had come to the front seat after we'd dropped Kelsey off, and when Kelsey was gone, no words were exchanged. All that had been heard was the sound of the rough and hard tires sliding on the road.

I looked at Kim, silently praying for her to just say something, but when she did, I took it back. "I shouldn't have come back. I should have just died."

My heart sunk. "Kim, don't say that."

"No, it's true," Kim's voice croaked, and even in the dark, I saw a tear slide down her cheek. "I don't feel as if I belong in this world anymore, like the place that was here isn't mine anymore." She shouldn't be saying that. No one deserves to feel that way. "I don't know why I'm still trying."

"Kim, look at me," I asked her softly, because her eyes weren't looking at mine. "Look at me," I sounded more demanding, but I didn't have to ask three times because then she did.

It was as if a wave of beauty had crashed over me. I'd forgotten for a minute how pretty she was. No pretty face deserved to look so broken. I reached in and cupped her face with my hand, rubbing the tear away with my thumb. Her eyes. They were so stunning… why am I so hormonal and emotional tonight? God, I need to shower. "Kim. You don't deserve any of this, and I know it's hard? But I'll do anything, _anything_ to help you get through. But what you need to do is just stay, and we can get through this together."

"How will I know you won't leave? How do I know that you will never see the bad in me outshine the worst? How do I know that you don't think I'm just another … schizophrenic freak?"

"You'll just have to trust me," my other hand took hers, and our fingers intertwined, and I gave her hand a squeeze. My heart skipped a few beats. "And you are not a schizophrenic freak. Only a complete and utter ayhole could ever think that, because you're pretty extraordinary."

I couldn't help but gaze at her lips. So full and so pink. When I looked up at Kim, however, I saw that she was gazing at my lips.

It made sense why I was kind of jealous of Brody and Kim's relationship, and why I was so mad that he had her wrapped around his finger, but didn't pay any attention to her. I hated him now, for he was maybe the reason why she was thinking such horrible things. I had to come to terms with my feelings if I was even planning of leaning it. But my mind had been made up. I like the girl, okay? But feelings are what got you hurt.

Especially feelings for girls.

But I couldn't help how inviting her lips looked, and how pretty she looked tonight. When I leaned in, Kim didn't say a word. No words needed to be said. Kim's eyes looked at me intently, not stopping me. She'd started to lean in too. Finally, we were so close, I could feel her breathing on my cheeks, and her lips were not even an inch away from mine. Kim inhaled sharply when my lips touched hers.

But the moment was interrupted by a knocking on my window.

We both exhaled the breaths we'd been holding in, our lips drifting away. So close, so close. I dropped my hand from Kim's face and let go of her hand.

Kim cleared her throat. "Uh … my mom's actually outside the window behind you."

I sighed. "You better get going then. I'll see you on Monday?" Kim nodded in the darkness, and opened the car door, exiting, and then closing the door gently behind her. I turned my head to see her mother shooting daggers at me. Yikes. Not a good way to start off the weekend. She shook her head slowly at me, and I gulped.

When Kim and her started walking towards their house, I groaned out loud and hit my head hard against the seat, slamming my fist in Jerry's steering wheel.

What had I done?

**:.:.:.:.:**

_**Two Days Later …**_

**:.:.:.:.:**

**KIM**

"Wait? So he almost kissed you?" Kelsey exclaimed.

Kelsey and I had decided to start a new routine with just us – which was walking to school. Every morning from now on, instead of catching a ride with Donna, we'll meet at the bus stop, and walk on to school. We didn't like the bus because of the amount of germs, so we'd rather walk. I'd started telling her the story of what had happened last night, the night that left me really confused about where I stand with him. I was trying to seek love advice from her, because my mother had been no help at all.

"You cannot just go springing boy to boy, Kimberly," she'd said. "it's not ladylike, and no daughter of mine will be involved in such an affair."

"I guess," I shrugged, answering Kelsey's question. "And I couldn't even tell how he felt afterwards because he's always so dark and emotionless."

"I think that is incredibly sexy," Kelsey smirked, and I rolled my eyes at her. "And sweet, of course. If you want to know how he feels, ask him." I couldn't ask him. What if it ruined our friendship or something? What if he got mad and started flipping out for no reason?

"I can't do it without being awkward," I slumped.

Kelsey rolled her eyes this time. "Well, are you just going to sit around and wait? You didn't sit around and wait for Brody, did you? You loved him, and did whatever it took just to get him. Now you have to do that with Jack. Sure, at first, it'll be awkward, but then, after the awkward, you guys could have a tongue hockey match and you wouldn't even remember the butterflies you felt trying to …"

"You lost me at tongue hockey," I told my friend, very disturbed by her term of kissing. It made me wince even more, the thought that she would even … ugh. But none of my friends were normal, so whatever. "But I guess I will talk to him."

"Were his lips soft?" Kelsey eagerly asked. I shoved her playfully in the side and she cried out in pain.

But I couldn't even hear it.

Because in front of me, was, well, me.

I don't know if it was just my mind playing tricks with me – it probably was. But it was an identical clone of me, standing before my feet. Only this clone's clothes were more glamorous than my recent change of dress, more Kelsey and Donna style. I came to a haul, so I couldn't come in the body's way.

What was happening?

Kelsey kept on walking, but also stopped when she saw I had.

"Kim? What's the matter?" She asked concerned. But I couldn't even respond, I was so shocked.

Instead, I lift a shaking finger at the figure in front of me. I closed my eyes, squeezing them shut, praying it would go away, but it wouldn't. I closed my eyes and shook my head, and when opened my eyes, the clone of me had moved, and was about a foot away from me. I stood still; looking as the other me smirked, and leaned in closer to me, and whispered something into my ear.

"Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

I knew who this figure was.

When I blinked, the figure had gone, and the oxygen that I had trapped in my lungs finally escaped, and I inhaled loudly. I put my hand to my chest, and felt my heart beating rapidly against it.

"Kim!" Kelsey said, putting a hand on my shoulder. "What happened?"

I opened my mouth to respond, and I was luckily able to now. "I think I just met my second personality."

It's official.

I was insane.

I was mad.

I was crazy.

I belonged in a loony bin.

**:.:.:.:.:**

When we got to school, finally, I was still terrified at what had happened, but when I spotted Jack in the hallway, walking in front of me, I dodged him and made my way to Kelsey's far down locker. But on the way there, I felt everyone's eyes on me. I'm insane, I know, but I was telling the truth. Everyone was looking at me, like I was hiding some secret. I kept my head down, but it was a bad idea, because I bumped into someone else I'd been dreading to see.

Brody.

I nervously started shifting my weight from foot to foot, looking up at him and he just continuously gulped. I thought he would continue walking past me but he didn't. He spoke. "Look, Kim, I want to fix things."

"What is there to fix?" I asked him. "You've made your decision. It's very obvious that you'd prefer a sex life over me. You made that crystal clear."

"It was only once after the accident," Brody said, his hand reaching for the back of his neck nervously. "And that was it. I felt guilty afterwards, but she was just … all over me. And yeah, I'll admit that Donna and I made contact before that one time that were very friendly, but I didn't expect that we'd … you know. It just happened. I hate myself for even going along with it, and you were busy dying, Kim. And what's even worst is that …" Brody's green eyes disconnected with mine, and looked at the floor.

"What's worse?" I asked.

The next question made my heart stop. "… You don't remember the night of the accident, do you? What happened? Because if you did, sure as hell you wouldn't even want to breathe the same air as me."

I shook my head. "I don't remember."

"It doesn't matter," Brody said, looking up at me now. Gosh. He was so handsome. "What matters is that I want to make things right. Can you ever forgive me, Kim? And would you consider maybe starting over?"

_Don't do anything I wouldn't do._

The voice echoed in my head, but I shook it out. "I forgive you, Brody," his green eyes seemed to light up again. "But I think it's better we keep our distance. I don't think the relationship we had was good for either of us."

Brody's jaw clenched. "But … I love you Kim."

"No, you don't," I corrected him, because I knew he didn't. "You just want something to toy with. I may have forgotten what happened the night of the accident, Brody, but I remember what you did to Grace." Brody stiffened. The exact reaction I was looking for. "We're human beings, Brody. Not play toys for you." I shoved passed him.

I suddenly forgot why I came this side. But when I felt someone tap on my shoulder. I turned my head to see two girls that I hadn't seen in a while. I instantly smiled.

"I couldn't help but eavesdrop on your second break up," the brunette with the longer and darker hair said. "And I think it's pretty cool you stood up to me."

The brunette with the lighter brown hair nodded, her curls moving as well. "It was totally swag, yo." I was pretty surprised to hear that come out of Julie's mouth. She laughed. "I know. I feel dirty. Jer's rubbed off on me."

"Wait? You hang out with Julie?" I asked, confused. I thought they were a group of dancers.

Grace shrugged. "Julie's not that bad, actually. She's pretty cool. And, besides, we can't be dancing every lunch. It makes you sweat and then you start to smell bad, and who would want that?" That sounded like the Grace I knew. "I've decided to, you know, mix things up a bit."

Mix things up a bit.

That didn't sound like a bad idea at all.

I nodded and then the bell for first period rang. I was slightly alarmed because I hadn't gotten to my locker yet, but I didn't let it show. "Good for you."

"Yeah, it is," Grace smiled. "And good for you too, I guess. It was for the best. Everything happens for a reason, right?" That was true. I giggled and the conversation drifted off because Grace and Julie had started walking passed me. I felt light as I strolled to my locker.

_Don't do anything I wouldn't do. _

Yeah, well, watch me.

**:.:.:.:.:**

Luckily, lunch came around very quickly, and as soon as it did, I had taken my time to reach the cafeteria with Kelsey. When we were in the lunch line, I heard Marge lecturing a few jocks about how they shouldn't even joke about throwing food around. She was still traumatized. I was too.

Donna and the guys were casting very dirty looks at us. I felt like taking a steak knife, going to each one of them, and slitting their throats. Of course it would be a fake knife, but I wanted to give them a fright, make them scared. I wanted to squash their guts.

When we'd gotten our food trays, which were full, Kelsey looked at me. "Well, sitting with Donna now is clearly a death sentence. So what are we going to do?"

I felt a smirk pull on my lips. "Mix things up a bit."

Kelsey followed me as I made my way towards Jack, who was sitting by himself at a table, listening to music and eating, so he hadn't heard us sit down. Kelsey was pretty confused by the arrangement, but she caught on very quickly.

When Jack saw us there, his eyebrows furrowed. He removed the headphones from his ears, and let them dangle around his neck. "What are you guys doing?"

"According to Kim, we're mixing things up a bit," Kelsey said, rolling her eyes and laughing. She reached forward, taking Jack's beanie right off of his head and placed it on hers. It looked pretty weird, because she was in a short little floral dress, and heels, but still. It was comfy, I guess.

"Mm hm," Jack shrugged it off. Kelsey slapped him when he tried to put his headphones back on and I laughed. "What?"

"At least try to be social," Kelsey shook her head in disgrace.

I heard something scrape on the floor next to me, and I jumped, getting a little fright. It was a person pulling up their chair. Scratch that, people. But not just any people. It was Jerry, Eddie, Grace and Julie. What was going on? Was I being psyched? How are we all sitting at one table all so suddenly?

"My chicka told me about your encounter," the Latino said. "And I dragged her with me to holler at you peeps, for, like, the rest of our lunch period."

Julie shrugged. "I don't think Kim's all that bad, Grace."

Grace didn't say anything. She sat with her arms crossed, slouching in her chair. Hey. It was a good start. We'd gotten from skank-calling, dirty stares, shoving food at each other, making peace in the hallway and sitting at the same lunch table from under a year, and nobody had died.

"Wait? So you're all sitting here?" Jack seemed a bit irritated. Jeez.

"Like the Spanish say, yes," Jerry nodded.

Eddie narrowed his eyes, confused. "Jerry, yes is not yes in Spanish."

"I forgot, okay?" Jerry pouted.

"But you're …"

"Don't judge me."

I smirked at them. Look at them, warming up to each other. Eddie looked across the table at Kelsey. "Hey, Kelsey, I'm loving the beanie." She blushed from next to me, pulling her beanie down so nobody would notice, but a failure the attempt was.

"So, Jack, what's going on?" Julie said, trying to make conversation.

"Shouldn't you be with Milton?" Jack asked.

"He'd rather eat bird poo than sit with Jerry," Julie giggled. "But he'll come around. He can't always sit it the library alone."

His eyes met mine. My stomach did a somersault. I could see him gulp, and I heard snickering from next to me. I saw Kelsey was canning herself, because of herself. That was odd. "Oh, you two," she said, teasingly. "Doesn't right now sound like a good time for baby making?"

I kicked Kelsey's leg from under the table as my cheeks flushed. Jack didn't show any emotion – as usual – but his Adam's apple seemed to be going out of control. Jerry, Eddie and Grace laughed, but Julie didn't like the joke that was made. "Guys. You shouldn't be joking around about such. We're only in high school." Thank you, Julie. "I have a condom if you'd like to borrow."

Everyone burst into laughter except for Jack and I. I remained sitting. But because Jack had one of his struggling-musician mood swings, he gathered his things and just left.

"God," Kelsey laughed. "We were just kidding." She took the beanie off her head and gave it to me. "You are probably the only one who can get through to your PMSing boyfriend without getting your ass kicked, so I suggest you give this back to me." I rolled my eyes. Not now, though. If I knew anything by now, it was to let him cool off, play his music and just be mad at the world for at least an hour.

**:.:.:.:.:**

"_Please just hear me out!"_

"_I don't want to hear it! Just leave me alone!"_

"_Kim, slow down."_

"_SLOW DOWN? Are you freaking mad? I just caught my boyfriend and my best friend making out on _my _couch, and you're asking me to slow down?"_

"_The neighbors will hear us."_

"_I don't give a goddamn if the neighbors hear us, Brody! For months, I've been trying to keep you satisfied, keep your entertained, or whatever, but no. You need someone else to give you things I'm supposed to give me. When you said you loved me, and that I was the only girl you'd ever want to be with, I thought that you meant it. You're a selfish, cowardly person! Look what you've done to us, YOU JERK!"_

"_I know what I've done is so wrong, Kim, and I've been such an asshole."_

"_Yes, you have."_

"…"

"_Do you know how much trouble I've been through, just for us to be together? I've lost so many people, Brody, so freaking many, but you don't care. All you want is someone to fool around with and show off. I don't deserve to be treated in such a way. How could you?"_

"_I'm sorry, Kim."_

_Y_

"_You're sorry don't mean squat!" _

"_Let me make it up to you."_

"_Don't touch me!"_

"…"

"_You have done enough."_

"_Kim, come back."_

"…"

"_Kim."_

"…"

"_Kim?"_

"…"

"_KIM!"_

**:.:.:.:.:**

**Author's Note:**

_I hope that satisfied all of you Kick-hungry readers, and I hope you can figure out what the last part is about and stuff. Milton wasn't in this chapter, I know, but he's going to be in the next one, I swear! Gosh, who'd ever think Milton would be the one neglected? :P_

_Please review (: Share yours thoughts. I would love to hear them. They mean the world to me. Any improvements? Any constructive criticism? Sorry for any errors, by the way, because, again, I am about to go to sleep. It's a new routine. I can't go to sleep without updating or writing or something. :P_

_Keep amazing, you lot!_

_Nia (: xoxo_


	8. Chapter 8: Change?

**Author's Note: **

_Sorry for the slightly late update. Been really busy. Have you realized how many birthdays occur in the month of august?_

_YOU GUYS ARE MUCKING AFAZING :') OH MY WORD. I WAS PRACTICALLY HAPPILY CRYING WITH EVERY REVIEW I GOT. Okay, I wasn't crying, but I was feeling very … emotional? :'') You guys do that to me, I guess. And when I feel emotional, guess what that means? Awesome chapter! :D_

_I was notified about my story being like an anime show :P I had no idea, just to say. I don't watch anime. I actually used to be pretty obsessed with Kiddy Grade, but then I moved on and stuff. You know it? No? Okay then. :P _

_Oh, and a little SPOILER plus warning (if you don't want to ruin the surprise, you can keep on reading if you want to, but just remember, there's going to be a twist to all of this and stuff) this chapter is rated a little more than usual. Things get __**a little**__, er, heated. But nothing sexual, don't worry. If you don't like it, just skip it then. _

_**DISCLAIMER: **__Don't own the characters, the plot,or anything else from Kickin' It. I wish I did though._

**:.:.:.:.:**

_**One Day Later …**_

**:.:.:.:.:**

**KIM**

I knocked on Jack's front door.

To tell the truth, I was pretty nervous. Oh, screw that. I was _really_ nervous. But he should have seen this coming. We hadn't talked properly in, like, three days due to him being such a moody person; and plus, I need to give him his beanie back. And ask him about Friday night, if I didn't vomit out my insides first.

I was pretty confused about my feelings for Jack. One minute, we were fighting, the next, we were within kissing distance. A few days ago, yeah, I might have admitted to having itsy bitsy feelings for the brunet, but now, I don't know if they've grown, or if they've disappeared. I'd tried confronting him earlier, but that attempt failed. And he continued to block me out, which was slowly eating me up.

As usual, a spunky dark haired young teen opened the door, a huge grin illuminating her features. "Kim. Hi!" She opened the door wider, and I let myself in. I looked around the passage that I'd seen many times as Alison closed the door behind me, humming a tune.

"Is Jack in?" I asked, trying to sound casual, but the anxiety got the best of me.

Alison cocked her head at me. "Wait. What happened yesterday?" I knew she was talking about how I awkwardly approached the house, but then ran away, because I was afraid of facing him. I knew she'd seen me. She was looking out the window of her bedroom.

"Yeah, about that," I giggled dryly, and I hugged my chest. "I really needed to talk to Jack and …"

"Were you going to admit your undying love for him?" Alison teased, giggling. I remained with a straight face, making her laugh even harder. "Well, he's in his bedroom. Just go in there, you know. He's in one of his moods, and he's listening to music pretty loud – on his ears, of course." Yeah. Last time I did that, I ran into his half naked, well, naked with a towel on his hips. I winced at the memory.

"Thanks, Ali," I smiled, and I looked towards the staircase, and made my way up. When I'd reached his bedroom, I swear, I could have ran out the house. But my legs were stuck to the spot. I _had_ to do this. I first put my ear to the door, listening to check if he was in the shower. He wasn't. Thank goodness.

I opened the door carefully, and I entered the blue room, seeing the guy I'd come here to see lying on his bed, looking up at the ceiling, his legs crossed, bobbing to a beat evenly.

"Jack?" I said. He remained on the bed. I guess he didn't hear me, or he was ignoring me further, but the first option was most likely. "Jack?" I said again, a little louder. Nothing. I rolled my eyes and headed towards his figure, and childishly, I collapsed onto his torso, causing him to jump up and hit me in the face in the process.

"Bloody hell! KIM! What are you doing?" Jack shrieked, taking his headphones off his head and dangling them around his neck. He was so attractive when he did that.

For some unknown reason, I just burst into laughter, leaving Jack looking very appalled. I was trying to destroy the heavy atmosphere, by seeming very insane, even though I was. I threw a pillow at him. "Lighten up." Jack's jaw clenched. Uh oh. He really wasn't in a good mood. I sighed. "Look, I'm sorry." Jack stayed looking at me until I said, "Would you like to talk about it?"

Jack looked at his iPod, I'm guessing for new song selection. "No."

Here we go. "Jack. Enough about me and my problems. What about you? What's upsetting you?" When he just ignored me, and continued listening to music, I became pretty irritated. What's with him lately? Is it because of my mom? Did she ruin everything? She couldn't have. What the hell am I thinking? Look what he's doing to me! "Jack, is it because of my friends?"

"Why would I be upset with them?" Jack shrugged. Oh, so he could hear me. "I don't want anything to do with them. Is that a problem?"

"Kind of," I said honestly. "It bothers me."

"Shame for you," Jack said flatly.

I burst. "You know what, Jack? I'm really sick and tired of your little mood swings! Don't you see how they affect everybody else?"

"Well, kill me, Kim, for getting tired of being your therapist," Jack huffed. I would have started at him, but I resisted it. "What if I prefer being alone, huh? Is that a crime? I'm sorry if the queen doesn't like me not hanging around her friends, but she should really just _deal_ with it!" I hated him now.

"Well, if you want to be alone so freaking much, then why are you even helping me?" I shot back. The room went dead silent. Hm. So Jack The Great could be shut up? "Jack." He wasn't answering me. What came next scared me. Jack, for once, was expression emotion. I could see it in his face. My answer was there. He didn't need to speak. And neither did I.

My stomach twisted into a hard knot so tight, I almost clutched it. Jack didn't want to help me. He did it all out of pity. I _hated_ pity, because it reflected how weak, and how broken I was. I hated it when people saw my sensitive side. Hardly anyone ever did, but Jack did, but he didn't stick around for helping me, did he?

I was on my feet, and I was about to barge out of the door before the tears could come. I was stopped, however, when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I shivered under Jack's touch. "Kim. Wait."

I whipped around and burst. "I can't wait anymore, Jack! I try to get passed this emotional wall of yours, but you won't let me in! And then you act like you _want_ to help me and that you actually do care about me, meanwhile all you're doing is trying to hide this side of you that no one can see!"

"I do care about you, Kim!" Jack shouted. "Hell, Kim, I've been trying to help and care about you, but you push it all away!"

"Oh, says Mr. I'm-Too-Cool-To-Care!" I spat. "You are such a hypocrite! I'm trying my hardest to care for you, but _you_ push _me_ away! You push everyone away! You act like you're not afraid of anything, when seriously, you're just afraid of actually caring." Jack was looking at me straight in the eyes now, his eyes burning into mine. I know I'd hit the spot. "It's risky. I know. But, in the end, Jack, it's worth it! I know there's a reason, and that when everything crashed down on you, no one was there to be there for you, and I can see it hurt you pretty bad."

Jack opened him mouth to say something, but I interrupted him. I felt hot tears running down my cheeks now. "But if you let it hold you down, you're never going to know the joys of life – the joys of friendship. If you let people in, Jack, you'll see what how having people there to just talk to is actually going to help you. Having friends can do a lot. That's all I'm trying to do. Be your friend. I know the worst has probably happened already, but if you let people in, they'll be there for you every step of the way. Just help everyone else and LIVE YOUR LIFE. STOP HIDING …"

I didn't finish.

Because next thing I knew, Jack's lips crashed hard against mine.

I wanted to slap him, for only kissing me to shut me up, but then I surprised myself by kissing him back. I've waited so long for this moment (I lived a whole other life wanting this, for God's sake!), and I wasn't going to let it slip through my fingers so easily. I could feel my worries slowly fading away, the world around us becoming non-existent.

Our lips fit perfectly together, moving together in sync. The butterflies were replaced with good and warm ones, which were going into overdrive inside my stomach. I let myself melt into the kiss, melt under Jack's electrocuting touch.

His hands travelled down from my neck to my waist, and I naturally put my hands around his neck, pulling him closer to me, kissing him harder, and he only responded the same, snapping the space between us closed, a very silent but noticeable gasp escaping his lips.

His lips rose from mine, only the slightest bit, and when I opened my eyes, I saw his eyes were already open, looking at me intensely. What was different this time was that they weren't looking through me. It was a nice feeling. His hand to wipe away the few tears I'd shed before he attacked me with his lips.

"There are things that words can't express," Jack's voice whispered huskily against mine. "And I can't find any words to express how much I need you Kim." That's all I needed to hear; that Jack needed me as much as I needed him. Our lips met again, but this kiss was different.

The kiss was moving from gentle to passionate very quickly, and my legs began to feel a little wobbly. The lustful kissing continued, our lips never leaving each other for too long. Jack slipped his hoodie off as I felt a hard and cold surface make contact with my back, which was the wall.

Jack's lips left mine, but not for breathing. His lips made contact with my jaw, and he showered kisses down my jaw line, sending sparking sensations down my spine. His kisses trailed down to the slope of my neck as the fingers he had around my waist walked up my torso. I gasped, fighting a moan back by squeezing my lips together. My back arched slightly in pleasure, and then Jack chuckled on my skin, which made me laugh, because it was a little ticklish. His lips met mine once again, his hand remaining on my stomach area.

That was when the door opened. Jack and I stopped, and we turned our heads, in absolute shock.

Alison was standing in the doorway.

"I wondered why the talking stopped," her voice said. I wanted to crawl into a hole and die, I was so embarrassed. What embarrassed me even more is that Jack still had his hand around my waist, the other snaked up my top. I looked at him, and gulped. We sprung apart then. Jack itching the back of his neck, and I was running my hand through my hair nervously. "You guys were making out!"

We couldn't deny it, because we were.

"I could hear the heavy breathing from outside _my_ door," Alison crossed her arms. "I had to come in and stop you guys, because next thing you know, Kim's at our front door, confessing to Jack that he's the father of her unborn child. And Kim has enough on her plate."

Jack's face twisted. "Were you listening?"

"I was bored," Alison shrugged. "I expected it, though."

"Get out!" Jack shrilled.

Alison giggled. "I'm so telling mom!" And with that, Alison ran out of the room. Oh my word. I was afraid for Amber for when she was that age.

"She has a boyfriend, believe it or not," Jack muttered. Alison? A boyfriend? That was quite odd, I must say. He must be very patient, keeping up with that girl.

We fell into an uncomfortable pause. This part was the worst. Not knowing what to say. "Jack, what just happened?" I said softly, my fingers touching my lips, where Jack had just kissed me, stilly quite amazed. I looked at him, and saw he was already looking at me.

"We kissed," Jack said, equally as soft. I knew what had happened. I just couldn't believe it. I was speechless, lost for words. "And you didn't pull away."

"Well, neither did you," I sighed. I looked at the door. "I just – I need to think. I feel really overwhelmed." Jack nodded. "Not that I didn't like it, you know, it just leaves me confused because I don't know where you want us to stand, and I don't know where I want us to stand and I don't want too much on my plate because I might forget this and switch personalities or something, and then …" Was I babbling? Indeed I was. I saw Jack was smiling at me, which made me turn red. "I'm just going to go."

I rushed to the door, but I tripped on the way there, and I lay on the floor for a few long seconds. "You need help?" Jack chuckled.

Look what he's done. He's got me all clumsy. "No," I told him, and I made my way to my feet, failing to be graceful, and I ran out his door, closing it behind me, racing through the areas of his home, trying as hard as hell to dodge Alison and Bree, but I met their very happy figures in the passage, but I kept on running for the hills. I swore my legs had never run faster.

When I was on the front lawn, I threw my skateboard onto the gravel, and hoped onto it, pedaling with my right foot away from Jack's house. Only one thought would remain in my head, as my heart still raced.

Where had Jack learnt to kiss like that?!

**:.:.:.:.:**

I was brushing through my gold locks before going to bed that night, making sure there were no knots so I didn't have too much trouble in the morning. I was in my robe, my pajamas warm underneath. I was humming happily to a Maroon 5 tune, swaying my head, side to side, my hair moving with it.

My phone vibrated on my dressing table, giving me a fright. I saw I had an incoming text message and I opened it up. It was from Jack.

**WE NEED 2 TALK.**

I swallowed my saliva nervously, and I put the phone down, without replying. Oh yes we needed to talk. I hadn't gotten my head tied around the fact at what had happened. I kissed Jack. I was pretty sure that my feelings were crystal clear. I liked him. But what if he didn't like me, so suddenly? What if he just wanted to shut me up and then got caught up in the moment? That would ruin our friendship, because just thinking that that could have been the case made my blood boil.

When I looked up into my mirror, my heart stopped, and I let out a howling scream, dropping my brush.

There was a second figure behind me.

I tuned my head, panicked, but nothing was there. But the figure remained in the mirror. What the hell was happening? The figure was coming closer to me, and I just froze, scared shitless. I was shaking in fear.

"_GIVE ME MY LIFE BACK!"_

The voice in my head said, and I screamed again.

I wanted this to go away! I hated it! I hated this feeling!

I ran to my bed, covering myself with my covers, and not looking back. I heard my bedroom door open. I thought it was a ghost or something. That's how freaking freaked out I was! But I only heard the kind and sweet voice of my mother, asking me if I was alright. But I didn't say a thing.

**:.:.:.:.:**

_Beautiful music was released into the air of Seaford High School's auditorium, the majestic chords the only thing being heard by many pairs of intrigued and very much listening ears. A lot of girls were silently swooning, but a certain blonde in the audience was very interested in the performer's choice of song, and of course, the performer. _

_It was the new mysterious boy, Jack Anderson, the boy girls had been swooning over for the month he's been at the facility. He was quite an eye-catching boy, and him being able to play the electric guitar was just a bonus. _

_Kim watched as the boy on the podium's locks blocked his face, as he concentrated on playing correctly. His fingers were moving swiftly and magically moving from fret to fret. He made playing guitar seem so effortless. Kim was bobbing her head to the playing, and singing the lyrics when the song had come to an ending chorus. _

"_So flipping hot!" Kelsey shout-whispered from Kim's left, and she nodded, agreeing completely. She wasn't bonkers for the guy, but he was really attractive, to say the least. _

_When the last chord played in the air, it echoed, hitting the walls of the auditorium, before a loud applause erupted from the audience. Kim clapped hard as well. When Jack looked up, seeing the audience in front of him, he didn't look pleased that they were clapping. You couldn't really tell, because of the lack of emotion showing in his face. He simply just got up from the chair, guitar with him, and walked off the stage in a zombie-like state. _

_Kim had the song stuck in her head for the rest of the day, silently humming it to herself. She'd gotten so caught up in humming the song before the last period, that she actually walked into somebody, the same somebody who had got the tune in her head in the first place. _

_Kim's books tumbled to the ground, thudding hard against the tiles. The brunet in front of her quickly slipped off his headphones and hung them around his neck, wordlessly picking up the books that had gone airborne. Kim helped him, because she felt it was her mistake. _

_Kim had been meaning to talk to Jack, but of course, only one thing had stopped her, and that was her being in love with her best friend's boyfriend, and the fact that he knew. If Kim asked Jack out for show, people would start getting ideas, and she didn't want a show._

"_I'm sorry," Jack said, handing the fallen books to Kim, who could hear the beats thudding from his headphones loudly. _

"_No, it's my fault," the blonde insisted, taking her books. She looked up in the new guy's eyes and offered out a hand. "I know you've been here forever now, but I don't think we've properly met. I'm Kim Crawford."_

"_I know who you are," Jack shrugged. He shook the hand anyways, but he didn't introduce himself. He felt no need to because everyone knew who he was. He was Jack Anderson, the new guy. _

"_Uh," Kim said softly, trying to come up with a topic for this conversation. "I liked your piece in assembly today. It was really cool. You're, like, basically pro."_

_Jack shrugged again. "Thanks I guess. I appreciate being recognized." And without another word, he walked away, leaving Kim a little disappointed. She expected the conversation to continue. _

_The first proper encounter, apart from the continuous staring contests in the hallway, had_ _bemused the blonde, and left her thinking. What did that mean? To thank somebody for recognizing you? She knew from that moment onwards that he was the silent but deadly kind, and how words that sounded so simple seemed to perplex all that were attacked by them._

**:.:.:.:.:**

**JACK**

I lay awake that night, thinking about what I'd done, thinking about _her_. She made me go insane. I'd had a few nights, thinking about her like this, but I could tell my mind was taking a toll, and I felt her beautiful face haunting my eyelids every time they closed.

The next day at school, as I knew more than expected, began on a very awkward foot. I didn't run into Kim at all, because we had different classes in the morning, but after lunch, we were going to be having algebra together. I ran into somebody else, who I'd been dreading.

His green eyes connected with mine, and I felt my breath start to become a little quick, my chest growing tight. He was coming towards me, a scowl contorted onto his features. When he did reach me, he shoved me back into the lockers, and all I really wanted to do was laugh at how pathetic he was acting. I wasn't going to make a fool of myself. Not again. Fighting back on Friday was a mistake – it only made the drama worse. He was drunk, and it wasn't my job to put him in his place, but I don't regret it.

"What is wrong with you?" I asked Brody, my weight coming off the lockers.

"What's wrong with me? What wrong with you, man?" Brody shrieked. "Breaking Kim and I up for your own selfish reasons? That's low."

"I didn't break you and Kim up," I spat. I was getting angry very fast. "She broke up with you because you are a horny asshole with no patience!"

That did it. He came at me, growling. His fist smashed against my jawbone, and I fell to the floor. I wasn't going to fight back or draw any attention. I couldn't help that people were surrounding us already, but it was Brody who did it, and not I. I was keeping calm. I wasn't going to fight back. I scrambled up from the floor.

"Kim and I's relationship had nothing to do with you!" Brody screamed. "Now look where we are!" It kind of did have something to do with me, because of where Kim and I were standing with each other now. Not that I knew for sure. But I think making out with somebody who was just your friend, is a little unrealistic.

"If you want her so bad, tell her the truth!" I shouted back at him. I noticed for a split second, his eyes filled with worry, but then a split second later, his fist tried hitting me again, but this attempt of his wasn't going to win. My karate reflexes kicked in, and I caught the fist. He tries kicking me, but I jumped off the floor, and as soon as I landed, I flipped his body, and he landed on the hard floor, yelling out in pain.

I was shocked with what I did as well. A few people around me started gasping at the scene, and when I looked up, I saw Kim, standing next to Kelsey, who had both just hurried into the scene, speechless. Another person had walked in on the scene. But it was a teacher. A teacher who was shooting daggers at me.

"Mr. Anderson!" Mrs. Lewis shrieked. "What in the world is going on?!" It wasn't normally I was dragged into fights like these. When I looked to my right, I saw Brody had scampered up, and was rubbing the back of his head, and looking at the floor in slight shame. I couldn't help but feel the same. "You two! Mr. Squires' office! Now!"

Brody and I naturally followed the teacher, as the crowd had started to diminish. But Kim ran after me, and was soon by my side, trying to keep up with me.

"Jack," Kim said, slightly breathlessly. "We need to talk about what happened …"

Seriously? "Sure, Kim. Let's talk, because right now, I'm really available and up for a little chat," I said sarcastically, trying to multitask between walking fast and talking to Kim at the same time.

"Okay, what did I do?" Kim asked.

"You didn't do anything," I said, apologetically. I didn't want her to feel that she did something. I was just mad at myself for being so reckless, _over_ her. I really haven't been myself lately. I've liked and gone out with girls before, but I still kept my cool, and didn't get all hormonal and emotional with them. But with Kim, it was different. And I haven't even liked her for that long. "I'm just a little frustrated and confused."

"Me too," Kim honestly agreed. "I'm just trying, you know. I don't want anything to change between us."

I stopped. She _doesn't_ want anything to change? "Then what was yesterday all about?"

Kim put her fingers through her hair. "I need to explain properly."

"Explain that you just got caught up in the moment, and all that crap?" I choked out. I felt something drop deep down. "I know how this goes, Kim. There's nothing to explain."

Kim opened her mouth, about to say something else, but then Mrs. Lewis called from down the hallway, "MR. ANDERSON!" Kim looked at me sadly, and I felt like a real jerk for making her sad, but I also felt a little sad as well – or was it heartbroken? – that all Kim wanted was to be "just friends". I decided to turn around and leave Kim standing where she was, and make this easier for both of us.

**:.:.:.:.:**

**KELSEY**

"WHY DO YOU THINK I WOULD EVER JOIN A DOJO?" Julie put a hand over her boyfriend's mouth, the ginger who had finally decided to join us for lunch.

When Kim ran after Jack, I came to the cafeteria, finding the guys and Grace settled at our now-usual lunch table. Only after I was seated was when Julie and Milton made their grand (and by grand, I mean loud) entrance into the cafeteria, with Julie pulling on his ear, and now I knew why.

Milton and I have never considered each other even acquaintances, but now I know why. He was a know-it-all, nerdy, and stubborn person. This morning, after Kim had filled me in on her latest dream (or memory, since I remember it happening), a light bulb went off in my head. Why didn't I go on a hunt for this dojo that Kim has said she'd joined in her previous life, and just recruit the guys? I would join myself, just for Kim, but these nails, unfortunately, don't do karate.

I'd asked all of them together, obviously, since Kim was not back yet, and I wanted it to be a surprise. Jerry said it would be cool, learning how to do karate, and then bullying nerds and also using it to pick up the ladies. He and Milton obviously argued over that statement for quite a bit. Eddie said that he agrees with Jerry, and that karate would probably help him later in life.

Like the smart person I am, I didn't mention Kim's condition – but I did, however, tell them the dojo was struggling.

"Come on, Milty," I cringed at Julie's nickname. "It would look good on a college application."

"Yeah, for a serial killer major," Milton folded his arms and put his nose up in the air, snootily.

Grace backed me up. "Milton, if your girlfriend was being attacked by, let's say, Jerry, wouldn't you want to save her with your mad karate skills? Just think about it – not only would it look good on a college application, but it could also get you noticed. I've got to be honest; I didn't realize you were a redhead until you sat down. Isn't that what any nerd could wish for? A chance to be noticed? To stop being bullied and put down?"

I couldn't help but shoot a smile Grace's way, a smile she returned. She wasn't as bad as I thought she was, actually. I thought we'd take a lot of time, coming together again, but it was a piece of cake. She's still the same Grace, not some crazy monster.

Milton had his thinking face on for a moment. I began to worry about Kim and where she was, so I took out my phone and texted her – asking where she was. When I wasn't texted back, I realized something was really wrong. Kim always answers texts. No. Seriously. If she receives one while in the shower, she'd seriously just stop to check a message. It was weird.

"Well, Milton, when I come back, I hope that you've made up your mind," I sighed, and got up from my chair.

"Where are you going?" Eddie asked me.

"I'm looking for my blondie friend," I pushed in my chair and marched out the cafeteria, my mission set. I was going to find Kim.

I first figured she'd be in the hallway, for some odd reason, but then I got half the mind to check her locker, where she wasn't either. There was only one place any girl would think of going else.

The bathroom.

When I pushed open the green door written WOMAN, I instantly saw Kim. She was standing on the opposite side of the sink, kind of ghost-like, which freaked me out. She was adjusting her hair, looking at herself in the mirror on her other side. When I called out her name, she didn't jump. She actually acted like she hadn't heard me at all, but I knew she did when she spoke.

"I need to tell you something," Kim said. Her voice sounded different. It sounded sad and croaky. She sounded like she'd just been crying. I walked towards her and when she turned to look at me, I saw that she had been crying. We were going to have to cover that up. I was about to check for anybody in the stalls, but Kim stopped me. "I checked. Nobody's in them."

"Well," I said, getting a little impatient. "Are you going to tell me?"

Kim tucked in a hanging lock behind her ear, and switched her gaze from me to the ground. "Yesterday … Jack kind of, you know …" I raised an eyebrow at him in a spit-it-out way. She gulped. "… kissed me." Wait, what? "And then I kissed him back and things got a little … heated."

"KIMBERLY CRAWFORD!" I shrieked, and she smiled, but then shushed me. Why in the hell was she smiling? This is some serious chizz! And she only decides to tell me, what, twenty-four hours after it happens? "And why have you failed to mention this really important information?"

"I needed to think about it," Kim sighed, looking upset again. "It's not so easy, you know." Now this is where I, playing the role of Kim's best friend, take a stand.

"Kim, it's very obvious you and Jack _both_ have feelings for each other. There's really no need to think about it," I put my hands on my hips. "What have you 'thought' about, anyways?"

"If we do, you know, date, it would ruin everything!" Kim exclaimed. I rolled my eyes. Oh here we go. "I think, you know, it's better we stay friends. What if, tomorrow, I wake up a different personality, and then I'm the Other Kim again, and I freak out that Jack's my boyfriend and not Brody?"

My stomach twisted nervously. "Trust me. I don't think she'll freak out. Well, over the fact that Brody's not her boyfriend. But, Kim, you've been like this for almost, what now, three months? I don't think that you'd randomly just wake up your different self tomorrow. Maybe you'll just … remember."

"I don't think it works that way, Kelsey," Kim said softly. "I'm schizoid. I don't think that I'll simply just remember everything and just move on. It's like; she's with me, the whole time, somewhere, deep down inside of me. I can feel her taking over me, and I don't like it. I don't like who I was."

I had to admit, I didn't either. Well, not around Donna. "It's going to be okay," I smiled, rubbing her back. "Don't worry about it. And about Jack … Just talk to him."

"I don't think he'll listen," Kim sighed. "I told him that I didn't want to change a thing, and he got peeved."

"Then I'll talk to him," I offered. I needed to talk to the dude anyways. "Just chill." I sighed. "Now come on, Kimmy. You need to eat."

**:.:.:.:.:**

I was going to ambush the brunet. He would do it if he were under pressure. It was for the one he liked anyways. I talked to Kim, to find out his address, and that's how I'd landed up here, now. In front of his door. The car behind me was Jerry's, which was booming with dubstep, poor Grace and Julie, trapped inside of it. We were on our way to the mall, to hunt for the dojo.

Kim, of course, knew nothing about this, and only knew I was coming to talk to her beau.

The door opened, and I saw that there was a young girl, almost identical to Jack. She looked about thirteen, small and petite. She was actually really pretty. She gasped at the sight of me. "Oh my God. Jack has another girlfriend already?" She pouted but then scowled. "He is such a squeeze."

I laughed. "I'm not Jack's girlfriend. I'm coming to … you know, talk to him for her. They're not really on speaking terms, I think."

The girl sighed and let me inside her home, which was pretty huge. Jack's parents were loaded. It was no secret. "I'm Alison," the girl smiled. "I'm Jack's little sister." I could actually kind of tell. "Jack's upstairs in his room. You can just go up there and get him. Knock, though, or he'll flip out." I nodded as she directed me to Jack's bedroom, which was the second door to the right up the flight of stairs.

Instead of me knocking, the middle school girl knocked for me (well, she pounded her fist against the door) and screamed, "JACKSON. OPEN THE DAMN DOOR." I didn't understand how they were related. Jack, of course, and soon enough, opened the door, looking ready to beat up his sister, but as soon as he saw me, he paused. There was a very awkward pause. Alison recognized. "Okay then. I'll just leave you two to it, then."

When Alison left, Jack sighed. "Why are you here, Kelsey?"

"To knock some sense into your male mind," I said. "Are you going to let me in?"

Jack rolled his eyes and opened the door wider, letting me into his room. It was actually pretty cool. I could see that he was obsessed with music, because of how many guitars there were, and the 70's rock posters all over the wall. Jack sat on his bed, and I saw his MacBook was open on top of it. His eyes focused at the computer screen then back at me. "Awesome room," I complimented.

"Thanks," he mumbled.

I was already kind of fed up. "Okay, Anderson. Let's cut to the chase. What happened between you and Kim yesterday?"

"Hm, so she's told everyone now?" Jack said, a bit rudely. How did she deal with him?

"Calm your bits, Jack," I told him. "I'm the only one she's told."

"And I'm guessing she also told you that she doesn't want anything to change between us."

Jack looked a little torn, which was surprising, because it's the first time I've ever seen him wear a facial expression. I couldn't help but feel a little sorry. I decided to get the courage to sit next to him. "Look. Kim doesn't _want_ things to not change, but right now, it seems like her only option." Jack rolled his eyes. I hit him, and he shot me a dirty look. "Just please try to understand, Jack. She's not confused about her feelings for you at all. She really likes you." Now Jack smiled. "She's just afraid of what will be if she risks it. She's not being selfish at all. She's trying to put herself in your shoes, because if something _does_ eventually happen, she's trying to protect you through all the hurt you might go through." I could see by the look on his face that I had opened his eyes.

"I guess you're right," Jack groaned, and then fell back onto his bed. "I am such a moron."

"Yes you are," I said. Jack gave a look and I shrugged. All guys were the same, after all. "And that is why I'm going to present you with an opportunity, Jack. An opportunity to make Kim happy, and maybe even give you a chance."

"What kind of opportunity do you have in mind?" Jack raised an eyebrow, and then I smirked. He looked at me, a little worried. Oh, he better be.

**:.:.:.:.:**

**Author's Note:**

_I know, this chapter wasn't very dramatic and stuff, but there was lot's of Kick in it, so it's a bit like a little Kick filler before a big explosion that I have been planning for ages. Next chapter includes an introduction to Rudy and Phil, and loads of major drama! I'm already working on it, and I'm really liking where it is going! I like drama :D and having said that, updating shouldn't take so long. I promise! And I shouldn't babble on about how excited I am for the next chapter otherwise I'll ruin it. :P_

_Please review and tell me your thoughts on this chapter (: Your opinions mean the world to me, and they encourage me to go on with writing (: For once, I'm not about to go to sleep. I'm actually very wide awake while writing this … pun intended. :P Props go to Livy.G, who kind of helped me with the ... heavy Kick scene. :P  
_

_Keep amazing, guys,_

_Nia (: xoxo_


	9. Chapter 9: Is It Over?

**Author's Note:**

_Hey, lovies. (: _

_I know. I know. I lied. But I have very valid excuses. My father had made it a ritual to sit and watch the Olympics every night, watching South Africa lose (lol) and it only ends around ten-ish, giving me really little time to write. Actually, none at all. My dad fell asleep, so now I've been writing. I've literally spent four hours on this chapter, rewriting it over and over again. I didn't want to disappoint you very amazing people! I don't deserve to be recognized by you guys :')_

_Well, enjoy this, guys! I put sweat into this chapter. Lol. No, not really. _

_**DISCLAIMER: **__I don't own Kickin' It at all or any other show for that matter. _

**:.:.:.:.:**

**The worst feeling in the world is feeling lost when already found.**

**- Unknown**

**:.:.:.:.:**

_The surroundings were pitch-black, as if one's eyes were completely closed. There was nothing at all to see, no source of light in the dark room. There was a booming sound in the background, through, which seemed distant, but kept on taking a step closer. _

_A figure faded in, appearing. It was a girl with blonde hair and hazel eyes, who was dressed in Snoopy PJ's, standing in the middle of the peculiar place. Her name was Kim Crawford. Her head seemed to wonder around the room. She tried speaking, but no words escaped her lips. _

_Then she began to feel claustrophobic – as if the walls were closing around her._

_And the funny thing was that they were. _

_The ground began to shake under her bare feet, and she tumbled onto the ground, falling on her back, and starting to scream soundlessly. The booming had gotten louder, coming closer, and Kim started to freak out. She shot up and clumsily started to look around for an exit, but in the darkness, there was no end. The walls were on their way – about to squash the girl. She didn't have to find the wall. _

_She could feel them._

_She broke down onto her knees, her golden locks covering her face, as her shoulder shook, sobbing. There was no way out of this._

_She was trapped._

_Something else started to appear in the darkness. It was an object, which stood up perfectly on the shaking ground. Kim crawled towards the object, and caught hold of it as soon as she made it. _

_The room stopped shaking and the booming stopped sounding. _

_She left out a sigh of relief, and examined the object in front of her. It was glass. In the glass, she saw a girl, with her identical golden hair, big brown eyes – only this girl didn't have puffy cheeks from crying, or screaming. She looked flawless, like a Barbie doll. She wasn't even dressed in PJ's. She looked like a red carpet actress who was smirking at the person staring at her._

_This could have been a mirror. But the blonde didn't understand. How could it be a mirror if it wasn't reflecting how she currently looked? This wasn't her. It almost looked like somebody else completely. _

"_Tick tock, Kimmy. Tick tock." The girl in the glass laughed a horrible laugh, which made Kim's skin nearly jump right off her bones. The image in the glass disappeared, and then the glass did as well. _

_And as soon as it did, the walls began closing in on her once again, the booming starting louder than ever. Kim was knocked right off of her feet. She started to cry again, but this time, not because she was trapped, but because she knew who was staring back at her in the mirror – and she knew that the day she'd been dreading was almost near. _

_As the body lay on the floor, crying, it suddenly just stopped, and went every rigid, freezing in an odd position. Kim's shoulder's went slack, and her hands gripped her hair, and she let out a very loud and clear howling scream, her eyesight going red. Kim kicked, but the space she had was limited, due to the walls closing faster than she thought._

_Kim tried to kick the walls outwards, but when she tried, pain stung her head, and she continued to scream, her face starting to go red. _

_The thunder continued to rumble._

**:.:.:.:.:**

**KIM**

When my eyes snapped open, I jolt up in my bed, heaving out shaky breaths. That wasn't a memory at all. That was a _nightmare_. Even now, in my calm and totally stable room, I could still feel the walls closing in on me. My heavy breathing had turned into wheezing. The carbon dioxide was released, but my body couldn't take in any oxygen. That's how freaked out I was.

I wanted to scream at the top of my lungs, wake the whole neighborhood up, throw a couple of tables. I wanted to go insane.

Why? Because I was.

I had officially gone insane.

This disease was destroying my life. I'd do anything just to go back to that night, and stop myself from being in that scene, making the stupid mistake that I was to blame for! I wanted to reverse completely, and just _change_ who I used to be. I used to be horrible. I was a horrible person. I am a horrible person. I'm not only destroying my life, but I'm also destroying everyone else's.

My family had gone completely bonkers after finding out a developed DID – which related to schizophrenia – after inheriting it from my dad's side. My mother had an absolute fit after finding out my grandma's half sister went mad because of it, and ended up trying to kill her husband, and then killed herself.

I'd driven Brody and Donna crazy, revealing a secret I actually never knew to everybody. I didn't argue with Donna before running after Brody that night. It was somebody else. My second self, I assume. But if I told them, they'd tell everyone, and I might as well kill myself too.

Poor Kelsey, trying to keep up with the soap opera I now call my twisted and horrible life. She had problems of her own, and yet, she seemed like she needed to sort out my own.

Jack.

I think this whole situation had a toll on him as well.

He knew I was insane from the very beginning, and was there for me, even though it was pity at first. He tried, and that's all that really mattered. Now look at us. We're as close as two peas in a pod. It's scary how close you can become with somebody in such a short period of time. He helped me when I needed him, and how to I repay him?

By friend-zoning him.

And in my darkest hour, I can't even pay him something as simple as a phone call, because I'm sure he hates me more than you could possibly ever imagine. He probably feels as if I played with his feelings – because I'd sure think so. If I didn't like him at all, I shouldn't have kissed him back when he kissed me. But I did. Because I _do_ like him. I like him a lot. I always have.

I couldn't take this torture any longer. I need to explain myself.

I got up from bed, my breathing becoming normal and set off into my closet, taking out my hoodie and my Converse, keeping my sweatpants and tank top on. I sneaked out of my bedroom, trotting quietly down the stairs, through the kitchen, and then to our garage. I took my skateboard and tucked it under my arm, switching off the garage light behind me. I went out the back door, since it was the most silent way to go.

As soon as I was outside, I threw my skateboard onto the gravel, hopped onto it, and then I pedaled up some speed, and soon I was off.

The night was dark, and I could hardly see where I was going – but I knew the way to Jack's like the back of my hand, so there was no need to look, anyways. There was no star in the sky, just the bright full moon, lighting the way.

As I rode into Jack's street, I already started regretting it. What was I thinking, even coming this way, trying to see him? He wouldn't let me in. He wouldn't let anyone in. My mind started buzzing with millions of thoughts of why I should turn around and just forget it, but I didn't listen to the thoughts (which probably weren't my own, anyways. I am insane, after all) and I just kept going.

When I got to Jack's door, and I was baffled. There was one thing I forgot to think through.

How in the hell am I going to get inside?

**:.:.:.:.:**

**JACK**

I woke up when I heard knocking coming from my window. I was a pretty light sleeper, so just about anything woke me up, which right now, I pretty much hated, because I didn't feel like getting out of bed, and I was in such a comfortable position. But the knocking continued, and I wanted it to stop, so I could go back to sleep.

I got out of bed, and I walked slowly to the window. Ugh. Why me? Why now? Why when I wanted to sleep? But that sleepy feeling went away when I saw Kim's face appear behind the glass.

I rubbed my eyes, thinking I was in some sort of crazy dream, but there she actually was, going ballistic, waving her arms everywhere, her shouting for me to open muffled. I rolled my eyes, and opened the window, and she stepped inside, but clumsily fell over onto my floor. She started groaning, and she flipped over onto her back, her brown eyes coming into contact with mine. I was supposed to be mad at her, I know, but when you're mad at someone, you don't feel the urgency to kiss them again, do you?

Because if so, I was _really_ mad at Kim.

"I know, what the hell am I doing, breaking into your house in the middle of the night," Kim started. "But I need to talk to you, Jack. I don't want you to be mad at me, and I don't want any sort of dispute going on. We both need each other, and our friendship – or whatever you want it to be – is too important to just throw away, over me being such a coward."

I sighed, and offered out a hand, because looking down on her was a little awkward. She took it, and I pulled her up, and she stumbled into my arms. We were both startled, and we just froze in that position, getting lost in each other's eyes.

Oh my God. What's been wrong with me lately? I'm so whipped. I'd even had the idiocy to ask Jerry and Milton for advice about them, and both of them had said that. Well, I'm guessing, "What makes you think I'd share such wisdom with an emotionally challenged creep?" was Milton smart way of saying I'm whipped.

I broke the contact, and let go of Kim, and she looked a little offended, and something wrenched inside of me. I sat back onto my bed, and Kim settled down next to me, our thighs touching. When I looked at her, I saw she was looking down at her hands, which were all fidgety. I found it cute that she was nervous.

Oh brother.

Well, I wasn't entirely crazy. Who wouldn't find Kim attractive?

"Jack, are you still upset with me?" Kim asked, softly.

I shook my head. Because I wasn't. "Kelsey came and talked to me today," I was about to tell her more, but then I stopped myself, because it would totally ruin the surprise we had in store for Kim.

"What did she say?"

"She said that … maybe it is for the best, you know. If something happens with you Kim, it would hurt both of us and that's the last thing we need right now. It would never be intentional, but it's bound to happen some day." Kim's head rested onto my shoulder and we both sighed.

Kim read my mind. "This sucks."

I laughed. "It gets better."

"No, it doesn't. Look at this. Everything is mess, because of me."

"What mess, Kim?"

"I played with your feelings, which is pretty hard because you nearly never show them off at all."

I smiled – a smile only Kim could put on my face. "Okay, maybe you played with my feelings. But it was for a good cause. You were protecting me."

"You've been through enough," Kim said, turning her head, so now her chin was pressing against my shoulder, and she was looking up at me. I gulped, and I felt my stomach jump again. It was pretty funny, because she didn't know the whole story. I didn't have the courage to tell her. I couldn't bring myself to say the horrible words. Kim wouldn't judge me, I know, but it's hard to say, since I've never actually told the story to anybody.

It was now or never.

I hesitated, but then I said, "Kim." I stopped, becoming hesitant again, but then her hand reached from mine and wrapped around it tight. I exhaled. "My dad wasn't just an abusive man against my father – but towards Alison too." Kim gasped quietly. I gulped continuously, trying to swallow the lump that had recently developed. It was as if a ferret was stuck in my throat. Kim didn't say a word; she just continued looking at me with soft eyes. "Except he didn't hit Alison. He …" I couldn't say the word.

The memories started flooding back into my head, over everything that happened when dad was still around. I could hear screaming start to echo in my head, and I squeezed my eyes closed, and I saw my mom, crying, and then I saw Alison.

I couldn't burst into tears in front of Kim, or even freak out (which I normally did) and throw stuff all over the place. I just started shaking, shivering at the memories.

"You don't have to do this, Jack, if you aren't ready," Kim said, squeezing my hand tighter. "It's okay …"

"He raped her, Kim." I figured saying it fast and getting it done and over with would be best. I didn't want Kim to interrupt me. I couldn't even look at her. "And then he did nothing to me, because he said that we Anderson men stuck together. I hated myself for living up to his expectations. The karate, the grades, the skateboarding. He wanted me to do it all. He wanted me to be perfect. I think everything was before he went and fucked everything up. _He_ is a fuck up."

"Jack, I know what your dad did was wrong, but you love him."

"NO, I DON'T," I almost shouted, but then I remembered what time it was. Nobody understood how much I hated that man for all that he did to this family. We were way better without him. He wasn't needed at all in the world anymore. If he came anywhere near my family, I would kill him with my bare hands.

After a long pause, Kim rubbing my arm, she sighed. "What happened to him?"

"Nothing, we just ran," I said, now looking at her, and she was looking at me so seriously, it almost scared me. Kim was almost never serious – well, the Kim I knew. "That's the only thing we could do – run. We had to. I feel like I did the wrong thing. I should have fought for my mom and Alison. I should have kicked him or something."

"But would it have helped?" Kim asked me. I couldn't respond, or even think because she said something else. "I'm glad you didn't do anything, because I know you're the better person."

A weight had been lifted off my back. It had been there forever, just weighing me down my whole life. Even though it brought me a little bit of discomfort because it wasn't there anymore, I could finally _breathe_. I guess that's all I needed to do.

"You're a good person, Jack. But unfortunately, the bad things always happen to them. That's just the way it is." Kim was right about that part. I'm sure she had some good nobody knew about before that night. "Think of it this way – if you never ran, you would have never ended up here … and you would have never met me."

"And if you never got hit by a car, you would have never shown up at my front door, pleading to be my best friend," I chuckled, and then she laughed, and hung her head in shame. "Hey, hey. I'm glad you did." I really was. "Maybe that's all I've needed all this time. A best friend."

Kim cleared her throat and her head rested back onto my shoulders. "Is that all you think we should be? Best friends?" I sighed.

Of course it's not all I wanted to be. I think she already knew that part. But should that be all we should be? Was it best? I'd done it, hadn't I? Kissed her and mixed everything up? I probably confused her.

"Forget about what _should_ be, Kim," I told her, looking down at our hands, which were still intertwined. "What do you want?"

"I want this," Kim sighed. Then she laughed, but it was a sincere laugh. It was dry, as if she was only laughing to stop from crying. "I've always wanted this. Who wouldn't?" She looked up at me and grabbed my cheeks. I raised an eyebrow. What in the hell is she doing? "You're still the same. You're not the karate kid that I may have known, but you're still Jack. You're still you." I smiled through my squished cheeks, and she laughed. "Oh my God, you're gorgeous. Shoot, did I say that out loud?"

"Yes, yes, you did," I nodded, and she groaned, covering her eyes with her hands. "You're gorgeous too."

"No, I'm schizoid. Schizoid people aren't gorgeous," Kim looked at me through her hands sadly. I hated it when she beat herself up like this, but I'm glad that she accepted it, and that she knew what was really going on with herself.

"We can't help some things," I shrugged. "We're all just humans living in this hell of a world. But I'm glad out of all of them, I have you. Schizoid or not."

"You are?" Kim's big brown pools held contact with my eyes. I nodded. I wasn't the type who lied about these things. I really liked Kim, and just looking into her eyes in the dark, I could _see_ she felt the same. Kim's lips met mine, but only applying a soft peck on my lips.

I couldn't help but chuckle. "Are you teasing me?"

"Just trying to take things slow, you know?" Kim smiled, but then the smile faded. "Jack, are you sure about this? Are you willing to take the risk?"

"I'm sure about it," I told her. "All I want is for you to be happy."

**:.:.:.:.:**

**KELSEY**

Jerry came bursting through the glass doors, shouting. "Hide! Hide! Everybody hide!"

"Grace, control your monkey," Milton said, putting his paint roller down in the bucket. "Why should we hide? The sensei's going to be right back any minute, and we agreed to help fix this place up if we join …"

"Milton, shut up and hide!" Jerry squealed. Somebody was high on sugar today. "Kim and Jack are on their way over here right now!"

"To the locker rooms!" I instructed. Everybody clumsily dropped their rollers, except for Julie and Milton, but we all ran into the girls' locker rooms, which was empty – apart from the guys', because it was full of hardware supplies. Grace slammed the door behind her and she put her ear to the door.

The plan was as soon as she heard Jack say "one" that was a sign for us to all get ready to jump out. When he said "three", we all came out of the locker rooms, screaming "surprise!". We'd made these plans yesterday, after we found the famous Bobby Wasabi dojo Kim was always going on and on about. It was about to close down, but as soon as we got talking to the sensei of the place, Rudy, he'd agree to keep the place open if we joined. So I sighed the guys and Kim up, even though their parents still had to agree to it. But chances are they will.

Convincing Jack to join, though, was one of the hardest things I've possibly ever done in my life. It wasn't until he saw the dojo, and the state it was in that he agreed to join for the sake of it and Kim. Well, he didn't exactly agree. Rudy asked to see his skills (which I have got to say, were really surprising – and also pretty hot) Rudy begged him to join.

"Well, how long are we having to wait?" Eddie asked, checking his invisible watch. "Circus Burger's not open all day you know."

"It actually is," Julie shrugged.

Eddie groaned. "It's not lunch all day, you know." Eddie looked at me. "You wanna get out of here and grab one?" I hope he was meaning to take me just as friends. The last thing I needed was a womanizer on my hands. I've been there and I'm not going back ever again.

"Sure," I shrugged, as if it were a friendly request. That's what I'm hoping. "But after we help Kim."

"Guys! Jack said one!" Grace's hand rested on the doorknob. Everyone started rising from the benches, and we all clustered around the door, waiting for Grace to give up our last command. "Okay, let's go," she said, and the door was pushed open why the brunette, but getting out of it in a calm manner was a mission. Jerry and Eddie started pushing everybody, and we'd all been pushed onto the floor, hardly making it out the door.

My head hit the ground, and quarrel was shared amongst us. "Jerry, you perv! Get your hand off my arse!" I shrieked, slapping it away, and he winked my way, and I just rolled my eyes. I looked out the door, and I saw Kim's face, still looking around the dojo in complete shock.

"Oh my word!" She screamed, turned and hopped onto Jack, her legs swinging around his waist, her arms basically suffocating the poor guy. He was able to laugh though, so her grasp wasn't that tight. "Jack! You're amazing!" Then something really unexpected happened. Kim grabbed Jack's face and kissed him, and he didn't pull back. They went at it for a long time all right, and Jack started kind of losing his balance. He must be pretty strong, making out with the cow while holding her.

They were completely unaware of the audience they'd gained until Jerry started clapping, and they stopped, Jack basically dropping Kim. "Well, we had to stop you two before you swallowed each other," Milton said, getting up, and we followed his queue.

"When did this happen?" I asked then, dusting off my black tights. "I swear, one minute you guys hate each other, and the nest you're making out. It's bipolar! Will you just make up your mind?"

"I thought we were alone," Kim said, bowing her head.

Grace shook her head. "Well, you thought wrong. This what you were doing while with Brody? Making out with Jack behind his back?" The chick really made the back choice in actually voicing that thought, because then Kim charged at her, growling.

"You don't know what the hell you're talking about!" Kim shouted, as Jack took his arms around her waist, placing her on the other side of him. "You better shut your mouth before I rip it off."

"Ooh, I'm so scared," Grace said sarcastically, rolling her eyes. Speaking of bipolar relationships … just the other day these two were getting on.

"Okay, okay, everybody, let's chill," Jack said.

"Be careful. If we get too chilled, Jack and Kim could go at it again," Grace shrugged.

"Okay, Grace, shut up now," I said, and then I looked at Kim, folding my arms. She looked at the floor, and Jack nervously tapped his foot. "Well? Care to explain yourselves?"

But even if they wanted to, they couldn't, because Rudy burst into the dojo with a goat on a leash. Wait. A goat in a dojo? This picture was wrong.

Kim shrieked and ran towards Rudy, and then she also went all monkey on him. "Oh my God! It's really you! And it's Tootsie! And – and …" Kim jumped off, and saw everybody looking at her strangely – especially Rudy. "I mean – I'm so glad to be joining this dojo. It's really an honor. I love Bobby Wasabi and you're apparently one of his best sensei's."

Everybody relaxed a little, and Rudy smiled, his cheeks going red. "Oh stop it, you!" He playfully shoved Kim.

"Dude, what's with the goat?" Jerry asked, and everybody nodded in agreement with him. For once, we were all on the same page.

"This is Tootsie," Rudy said, and Kim waved at the goat. Yeah. She has gone a little insane, hasn't she? "He's Phil's goat. I offered to goat sit for an hour, so if you guys could please carry on fixing this place up while I fed him. And if you guys take all day, I'll get him to eat you."

"It's physically impossible for a goat to eat a human," Julie and Milton stated, saying it in unison.

"Why don't you two shut up?" Rudy asked, and Eddie chuckled. "Just … get back to painting."

Rudy and the goat, or "Tootsie", disappeared into his office, and Kim squealed. "Oh my God. I can't believe you guys did this for me. It means the world to me, really."

"Kelsey came up with the idea," Jack shrugged. I put a hand over my heart. He was a decent boy, wasn't he? "I could have never done it without her."

"Okay, I give you permission to marry this boy," I said as she reached to hug me. She laughed as she pulled me into a short hug. "Okay. Enough with this. We really need to get to work before Rudy goes all ninja on us."

**:.:.:.:.:**

"Be careful with the paint!" Milton warned all of us. "Rudy trusted me with Tootsie, while he is out getting lunch. I don't want anything going wrong."

"JERRY!" I heard a shriek coming from my right, and I saw Grace, covered in white paint from head to toe. Oh man. This just got dirty fast. Jerry was on a ladder, painting the higher sections of the walls, and had accidently dropped the paint bucket over her head. Smooth move.

"On the bright side, it's hiding your bra," Julie shrugged.

Grace shot daggers at the short strawberry blonde. Eddie backed her up. "Grace, even I could tell you were wearing a purple bra under that white tank."

"When I asked you how it looked this morning, you didn't say anything!" Grace said to Julie.

"To my defense, I said to take it off, but you just said 'whatever'." Julie put her hands up.

Grace looked up at Jerry and started saying stuff in mad and fast Spanish. Grace's family was really close with his – due to her mom being Mexican, so the Spanish thing was kind of in her blood. Jerry winced with every word she said. I wasn't the sharpest with my Spanish, but even I could tell that Grace was calling the Latino a female dog.

"I'm sorry, jeez!" Jerry said after the brunette's rant.

"Grace, I think you should cool down," I tried calming her down, but she looked at me coldly, and I didn't say anything else, or otherwise somebody was going to die. Grace grabbed the legs of Jerry's ladder and started shaking them with rage, and he started to wobble.

"Grace, stop!" Everyone was saying to her, but she didn't listen, and soon, Jerry was airborne, and landed in the trays of paint, which were on the floor.

"Haha," Grace said dryly, as Jerry got himself up from the floor, covered in paint. A girly shriek was next heard coming from him, as Grace barked, and ran after the Latino as he tried dodging her, running around the dojo himself. "You can run all you want! But you can't hide!"

I felt hands take my shoulders and I screamed. Jerry was trying to use me as a shield! And he was covered in paint! I elbowed him in the stomach, and he groaned. Good. But then I regretted it as he sunk down onto the floor, moaning in pain – but taking me with him. Therefore, my back had been covered in white paint.

"Okay, guys! Let's not fight," Jack tried to reason, but jinxed in, because he tripped over the puddle of paint Jerry had spilt, face first. He lifted his head up, his face white, and sighed. "Jerry." Poor guy. Everyone was out to get him.

An argument broke out, everybody screaming at each other, Jerry, Grace and Jack slipping and sliding in the paint, trying to get each other. Milton and Julie were trying to catch down the scene, but Kim and I just watched in horror. Ugh. This paint was so cold.

Then the arguing came to a stop, because Kim screamed. It wasn't just a normal scream. It was a bloodcurdling scream – the kind you hear in horror movies. The whole dojo froze as the blonde started gripping at her head, as if trying to squeeze her skull together. Now, I was worried. This wasn't as bad as when she would just usually pass out. She became breathless when she was. Now she was screaming.

What was happening?

Kim sunk down to her knees, the screaming continuing. She wasn't gripping her head anymore. She looked like she was about to pull her hair out. Her face was going unbelievably red. She started gasping now, like she couldn't breathe at all.

"Kim!" we all said, racing to her. Jack and I were the first ones at her body. Her body was shriveling on the floor. Jack felt her head and said, "Oh my god! Her head's freaking hot!"

"Well, Milton, you do first aid! What should we do?" Eddie asked the ginger, but he looked as terrified as he did.

"I don't know!" Milton jumped up. "I'm getting help!"

Kim's gasping became worse, growing louder and louder. "No," she said in between gasps. "I … don't … need … help."

"Kim, stop this!" Jack said loudly. "You need someone to help you with this! You can't keep it in secret anymore! It's going to keep getting worse!" I was on Jack with this one. What was happening with Kim now was scaring me.

Kim's body then went still, and she let out one more loud gasp before freezing. She blinked, and exhaled. Her breathing was loud, but if was going back to normal. Her face started to regain its original color, and she was no longer pulling at her locks. She was heaving on the floor, looking up at all of us.

"Okay, what just happened?" Grace asked softly.

"I don't know," Kim said worriedly. "I don't know what happened. My head – it just started throbbing." Kim burst into tears then, and my heart dropped. Jack wrapped his arms around her as she sobbed into his white shirt, not seeming to care about the paint. Grace and Jerry sighed in pity, looking at the blonde break right in front of them. I pat her arm, feeling the urge to burst into tears too.

"Kim, you need to see someone about this," I told her.

"About what?" Grace asked.

"It's getting worse," Kim said, sniffling, and whipping her heads with the back of her wrist. Her nose had gone red, but other than that, she looked as if she hadn't cried at all. I'd always been amazed at how quickly she collected herself. "But not enough reason for me to seek any kind of medical attention."

"Yo, what's up? Why won't you just spill it?" Jerry shrugged.

"Because it's none of your business."

"If we're going to help you, we deserve to know what's going on," Grace shrugged, sounding just a little annoyed.

"I don't need any help!" Kim snapped, and she jumped up. "And I don't want you guys to know what's going on! I don't want anybody to know! I need to do this on my own." And then she stormed out of the dojo, shoving the shoulder of a mixed race man with hers.

Milton was at his side, the goat at his side. "And now she's gone," Milton shrugged. Where did Kim go? What was going on with her today? "I swear, Phil, she was having a seizure on the floor, like, right now."

"You expect me to believe that small little girl was on the floor, having a seizure. That is like goat on treadmill," Phil crossed his arms. "What in the world happened in here?" Phil looked down at Tootsie. "Were you feeding Tootsie paint?"

"Oh no," Milton said, playing with his hands nervously. "It's just very bright … er … milk."

A blonde man appeared on the nerd's other side. "What happened?"

I looked at Jack, expecting him to say something. But he didn't. He got up, and traced Kim's harsh footsteps out the dojo, leaving everyone speechless.

Yeah. Our little field trip had come to a close.

**:.:.:.:.:**

**KIM**

The (very full) car ride back to school was a very quiet one. I'd demanded we go back after Jack ran after me, telling me to come back. But I didn't want to. For once in my life, I demanded we go back to school. Grace and Jerry nearly found out what had happened. I didn't want anyone to know but Jack and Kelsey. They were the only people I trusted right now.

But what happened in the dojo really freaked me out. I couldn't describe the pain properly. It was as if my head had been set on fire, and at the same time, someone was pounding my head against the wall, wanting to break my skull. I'd never felt so much pain in my life. I remember my breathing becoming very uneven, my vision going red. I felt as if I was about to _die_.

I knew it was getting out of hand, but I didn't need help. I couldn't disrupt any more lives right now. And I seriously don't feel like sporting the hospital dress any time soon.

When Jerry made the car come to a stand still, the silence continued. The Latino broke it. "We should get inside, yo. We don't want to be late for another class, because we're just chilling in the car, you know what I'm saying?"

Grace opened her door, and Eddie followed her lead, Kelsey after him, then Milton and Julie. Jerry took one last glance at Jack and I before getting out of the car and closing the door behind him.

"Kim, we're going to have to talk about this sooner or later," I could feel Jack's eyes on me.

I shook my head, my hand reaching for the door handle. "I choose later." I jumped out of the car quickly, seeing everybody outside, waiting for us. Jack got out after me, but we didn't meet each other's eyes. I felt very uneasy about all of this. We still walked together into the school.

I've done this many times – walking through the school doors.

And through the times I've done this, people had always had their eyes on me.

But when they did this time, it wasn't in a good way.

I could tell that we'd got in at the wrong time, because looking at our watches, this was the time that school was out for break.

The hallways had erupted into whispers, people staring at us weirdly, and then going back to talking to their friends. I'd looked at the others. They'd changed out of their paint spilt clothes before we started back here. They looked fine. Why was everybody staring?

"What the hell?" Grace raised an eyebrow. What the hell indeed.

"I feel a little nervous about this," Julie said. "They're looking at us like we're crazy."

They're looking at us like we're crazy.

Julie's words echoed in my head, and then I could eye contact with a blonde from across the hallway. The blonde I'd hated my whole life looked at me with a smirk on her face.

Donna Tobin just ruined my life.

My first instinct was to march over to her and the guys surrounding her, which were Frank and Brody. When I'd reached her, I shoved her back into the lockers. Brody and Frank looked at me in shock, but were even more shocked when instead of groaning out in pain, Donna laughed.

She _laughed_.

"Now I get it," Donna smiled. "I get it all. Why you're such a bitch all of a sudden. You're not even you." My heart stopped, and my words got caught in my throat. I wasn't even me. "I always knew though. You woke up and gave Brody a second chance, even though you knew what he did. You would have gone all Crawford on him! I expected it. But it didn't happen."

Donna poked my shoulder and giggled. "You know, when I heard you talking to Kelsey about it in the bathroom…" I checked! How was she in there?! I couldn't even face Donna anymore. I looked down. "… and at first, I thought it was some kind of joke. But then I started to put the puzzle pieces together, why you were so confused about everything. But then again, I can't just assume. Maybe there was a whole other reason about it, so I asked your mom." My mother? "Frankly, she didn't know about our little fall out – both Kims would be too cowardly to admit it to even themselves – and I asked her a few questions. Only after asking, however, did I tell her about our little cat fight."

"Donna, I think you should stop," Brody said nervously.

"No, no, she didn't tell us the truth," Donna said. "She made me and you look like whores in front of everybody. She humiliated us. Now it's my turn. It's everybody's turn! Everybody's turn to know that Kim is actually schizophrenic!"

I looked up, seeing and feeling all the eyes gathered around, seeing the scene, burning through my skin. My insides were twisting in endless knots, and a lump the size of Canada had started up in my throat. I looked at Donna, who seemed very satisfied with her result, and then at Brody, who looked really guilty, like he was the one to blame.

It was amazing how one sentence, one moment could turn your life around.

I'd never felt this alone, ever, this isolated. Now everyone was going to change their minds on what they thought of me. I'd no longer be Kim, the cool girl, the weird girl, or whatever they thought of me. There was only one word to describe her now.

Insane.

In these situations, there was only one thing anybody could do.

All I could do was run.

Nobody needed to see me burst into tears. Nobody needed to see me express any sort of raw emotion, because I knew what they thought of me now. They wouldn't feel pity. They'd feel disgusted. They'd think I was crazy for crying.

I filed quickly out of the school doors, not daring to meet the faces of my "friends". They probably thought I was crazy too.

I hated how I was feeling now. For the first time in ages, I'd felt useless, and I'd felt like I didn't deserve to be here anymore. In this world. Staying would be hell, going would be hell. I couldn't win.

I wasn't me anymore.

"Kim! Stop!" I heard from behind me. I knew it was Jack, trying to stop me. But I wasn't going to stop. I don't know where I was going. But I needed to escape. "Kim!" I sped up my pace. We were now in front of the school, at the main entrance. I stopped, though, because something took my wrist. It was Jack's hand.

I whipped around, his expression softening after seeing my eyes are filled with tears. "I can't believe I was so stupid!" I choked out, finally, after a pause, filled with the noise of traffic from far in the distance. "I shouldn't have told any one! I should have just kept it to myself."

"Kim, I would know. It's better you told people," Jack said, softly, in a kind tone.

"No, you don't know!" I snapped. I knew that tone. That was the tone of pity. I hated pity. "Nobody knows what it's like!"

"Kim, relax."

"RELAX?!" I shrilled. "How can I freaking relax?! Donna just told everyone about me condition! No one's ever going to look at me the same! NOBODY!" I burst into sobs, and covered my eyes with my hands. "I'm never going to be normal again. Nothing is."

"Kim, you've got to accept the fact that, yeah, you're schizoid, so what?" I wanted to slap him in the face really hard. "It doesn't matter what anybody else thinks of you! You shouldn't care."

Then I blew up. "Well, I'm sorry, Jack! I'm sorry that not all of us have the flawless self esteem you have! You go around, acting like you don't have a care for anything in the world! Not all of us are like that, okay? Isolating yourself from the crowd, just so that can't hurt you first. Yeah. I may not be me, but I'm still somebody! I can't live up to your expectations, and just follow your lead. I'm my own person, Jack, not a female version of you!"

"I wasn't asking you to be," Jack shouted. "You're making this all up in your head! That's what girls like you do! You twist every single detail, and turn it against you and everybody else. God, Kim, just face it! You can never be your own person! No matter what you think, you're just some crazy girl with …"

A slam echoed in the air. I was surprised with myself, for slapping Jack. I think he deserved it, but at the same time didn't. But I couldn't think straight! I was angry1 I was angry at the world! At everyone! And now with Jack. "I knew this wouldn't work! I knew this was wrong. But I let my emotions get in the way. I should have gotten to know what a real _asshole_ you are first!" Jack's cheek had remained red, and his jaw was clenched. He was really mad with me, I know. Before he could continue to be an asshole any further, though, I walked. I was going to go anywhere but here. I crossed the road.

But midway, I stopped.

My head started pounding again.

"_YOU JERK!" _

I was starting to hear things, as the pain started overwhelming my head. I held it, my head beginning to feel heavy, as if it were about to fall right off of my neck. My vision started going red again, and my brain pounded hard against my skull, causing me to scream out in pain.

IT BLOODY HURT.

"_Don't touch me!"_

"_Your sorry don't mean squat!"_

"_I don't want to hear it! Just leave me alone!"_

"_Don't do anything I wouldn't do."_

"_Thanks, I guess. I appreciate being recognized." _

"_All you and Donna are, are bitches."_

"_I might do something I regret!"_

"_I've lost so many people, Brody, so freaking many, but you don't care!" _

"_They're looking at us like we're crazy."_

I heard hooting. Then I heard someone scream my name. Time slowed down for me when I looked up. I saw a truck, coming closer and closer to me, coming my way. It all hit me life a tidal wave.

My life.

I remembered _everything_.

But when I finally did, it was too late.

My body was glued to the spot. I couldn't move at all. Just a second ago, I wanted this. I wanted my life to end. Now, after finally figuring it out, I wanted to take it all back. But I couldn't.

Life waits for no one.

It was over now. The end.

Before I could get out of the way, the truck's front slammed into my body, he impact strong, and I went flying. I remembered doing this the first time. I remember screaming this loud that night. I remember Brody screaming my name, as if he was in complete and utter agony. I remembered.

It didn't matter now, did it? Life had flashed before my very eyes.

My head fell first, hard, into the tar, and the pain became unbearable. It was as if somebody had hammered my skull and broke it open. But the pain was over soon enough, because it was lights out.

**:.:.:.:.:**

**Author's Note:**

_CLIFFHANGER. _

_Oh my word. Longest chapter I have ever written. All in one night. And now I'm really drowsy. Meh. Therefore I'm really lazy to read through this __insanely__ long chapter and correct all of my mistakes. Hell no. I'm late as already. I don't want to hold up one more day just for __checking__. I hope you like the chapter, even though I think it wasn't one of my strongest. _

_But I hope it was as dramatic and important as you hoped._

_Please drop a review :') it would mean the world to me! Your opinions really motivate me to keep on writing! You are all so amazing, it's not even funny :') _

_Keep amazing,_

_Nia (: xx_


	10. Chapter 10: Faults and Regrets

**Author's Note:**

_OH MY WORD, YOU GUYS ARE SO FREAKING AMAZING. GAAH. (Milton moment) SERIOUSLY. None of you want Kim to die, some of you are hoping al drama will blow over, some of you hate Donna, some of you are in tears … :'( it was quite upsetting, but at the same time, I'm liking the confusion. Hm. I'm mean. But hopefully I didn't make you wait that long? But as I was reading all of your reviews, ideas were springing into my mind like gorillas. YOU GUYS INSPIRED ME FOR THIS CHAPTER._

_And One Direction. _

_I don't know what's wrong with me, but lately, I've been on a high with them, listening to them none stop, seeing their beautiful faces all over (well, finding them) and stuff. HARRY STYLES. OH MY FEET. HE MAKES MY HEART STOP. THOSE DIMPLES._

_Let me shut up now. None of you want to hear me go on and on about how perfect he is._

_*In British Accent* I'm going bonkers. _

_Just going to quick sticks reply to a review from Jennifer A (since she doesn't have an account): I hate watching the Olympics. But because my father loves it so much, he makes me watch it. We don't sit together as a family for dinner, and he thinks it would be fun to do some "family bonding" while doing one of his most favorite things. Trust me. The last time I disappeared during the weight lifting, he took away my phone. But then I poured him Coke. And he gave it back. He likes his Coke ;) _

_I SHOULD SHUT UP AND JUST GET TO THE CHAPTER. _

_**DISCLAIMER: **__I don't own Kickin' It, even though I would love to, with all my heart. Life's hard that way. _

**:.:.:.:.:**

**KELSEY**

All was quiet except for the sound of telephones, hushed tones, and Kim's mother, sobbing. No one could bear to utter a single word. We were all speechless. There was nothing to say. Kim's little sister, Amber, was comforting her Mrs. Crawford, while Mr. Crawford was at the receptionist desk, demanding to doctors to tell him how his daughter was.

We'd all been here two hours, and still, no doctor had come to tell us how Kim's condition is. All of us were here – Grace, Jerry, Julie, Milton, Eddie, Jack and I – just praying that Kim was all right. But we knew that she wasn't.

I tried to blink back the images, but they wouldn't go away. I remember hearing Jack's shout even from inside the school building. I never, in my life, expected to see such a horrific sight – one I knew would never leave me. Kim's limp body sprawled across the ground, all exposed skin stained red, and a pool of blood starting to form underneath her figure. Jack's body crouched over hers, his body shaking in sobs. I couldn't even take in then. I fainted before rushing to her aid.

But when I closed my eyelids, that's all I saw.

My eyes were dry of tears now, and I sat in the chair, watching my shaking hands.

What Donna had done was uncalled for. Look what she did. She pushed Kim into her current position. She'd done this before. Everyone knew what had happened the night of Kim's first accident. I remember Brody telling me himself, saying that he regret it.

Kim had just walked in on him making out with Donna in his kitchen, because she made him "feel better", after each time Kim and him got into a heated argument. Kim had went over to go apologize, but he was up to his own devices. Kim started going hysterical, calling Donna all these names, and she stormed out. But because Brody "loved" her, he ran after her, and they argued outside his house. She was about to walk away from him, after winning the quarrel, but on her way to the opposite sidewalk, when a car that was driving out of control hit her.

Apparently, they were drunk college kids, all coming bad from this really hardcore party, and they thought, since it was so late at night, they wouldn't run into any trouble.

Kim's parents pressed charges, and the three of the guys were sent to spent five years in jail, but one had got out on bail. It had been in the papers, Kim's case. Brody said he was going mad.

So he comforted himself by going to Donna, and then, ending up sleeping with him, while Kim was still here, fighting for her life.

I had no respect for those two anymore. I can't believe I was ever friends with them. All they want out of school was popularity, and banging people. But it wasn't about that. I'd found out who my real friends were. The past weeks with Kim's previous friends had actually been more fun than I ever had with Donna and her crew, her minions, her whatever.

I'm way happier now. Well, I was.

"Eddie, would you stop eating? You're going to gain a tremendous amount of weight," Julie's voice said, and I looked up, seeing the two sitting next to each other from my left.

"Well, look at you, nervously on your phone, typing some really foreign text message to Casper the Friendly Ghost," Eddie shot back, and continued to eat his packet of Lays. Eddie was right. Julie's hands were all fidgety, her phone inside of them, playing with the keys, nearly abusing them. "Are you okay, Kelsey?" Eddie asked me, and I met his eyes. I found myself shaking my head. Who would be, after having their friend nearly killed? Eddie's hand rested on my knee. "She's going to be okay, alright? I know she is. She's a strong person."

I nodded. I was really grateful for Eddie's words of support. "Thanks, Ed."

"Milton, would you stop pacing? You're giving me a headache," Jerry said from across the room, his head knocked back, looking at the ceiling. Milton was, indeed, pacing.

Milton stopped and sighed, putting his hand over his face. "This is my way of coping, okay?! Look at you, murmuring to yourself in tongues …"

"He's speaking Spanish, you idiot," Grace said flatly. Her face seemed to differ. Her hair had lost all sheen, and her face was so pale. She had been crying too, and she was trying to keep everyone held together, making sure nobody went ballistic.

"You see what this pacing is doing to you, Milty?" Julie pouted. "Sit down and chillax." Chillax? Julie laughed at herself. "Look at what this is doing to me. I'm throwing all my grammar out the window." She was normally the sane one.

"I'm praying for Kim," Jerry said. "She needs all the help she can get right now. I need to put on my religious hat, man. No head's just gonna mend itself."

Grace shrugged and got up. "I'm going to the bathroom. I've been needing it for a long time, and I can feel my eyebrows going all frizzy." Oh, they were getting frizzy, all right. Right now, she looked like a cross between Lily Collins and Big Foot.

"Where's Jack?" Milton said, looking around the room, as Kim's mother let out another loud sob from her crying in the corner. All of us looked at her shamefully. This must have been really hard for her, seeing her daughter go through all of this for a second time. But Milton had made a point with his question.

Where _was_ Jack?

Jerry cleared his throat. "Last time I saw him, he said he was off to get some coffee in the cafeteria." The cafeteria.

I got to my feet. "I'm going to go look for him." Everyone nodded my way, and I turned around, walking towards where the cafeteria was. As I passed Mr. Crawford, I felt this cold aura rub off on me. Everyone was so damn tense, and it was starting to rub off on me. I couldn't help but feel my hair, seeing if it went all frizzy like Grace's. I let out a sigh of relief to find out it wasn't.

When I'd reached the very blue cafeteria, I looked around at all of the tables where people were seated, also looking a bit worn out. But amongst none of these people did I see the brunet I was looking for. I figured maybe he'd be in the café line, but he wasn't there either. Where would he be? I charged into the crowded place, looking for him, but he wasn't in the food line either. Where else could he be?

I looked around, and my eyes rested upon the vending machines. What really drew my eye to them, though, was a very familiar foot, wearing black Supras. I made my way over to the pink vending machine, full of sweets and chocolate, and saw a familiar person seated and leaning on the opposite side of it. His head was in his hands, his fingers moving restlessly in his hair. I sighed, and he looked up, seeing me standing there.

My heart broke. A guy, who normally had himself in so much control, was here in front of me, his face red and puffy, and his eyes bloodshot from tears. He sniffled once before his gaze coming across my legs. If it were any other guy, I would have found it perverted, but because it was Jack, I knew he was just thinking. Jack doesn't think like that.

I slid down next to him, my boots hitting the floor soundly. I looked at Jack, but he wasn't looking at me. There was a really uncomfortable moment between us, but he broke it by talking. "Go ahead," his voice croaked. "Blame me."

"For what?" I asked him.

"Kim's here, because of me. I should have saved her. I should have taken the blow. She's been through this before, she doesn't need this again." I could see Jack was gulping back tears, and I rubbed his forearm, trying to provide a source of comfort.

"I don't blame you," I really didn't. He shook his head, but before he could speak, I stopped him. "Listen. It's okay, Jack. You were going to try and comfort her, running after her. I know how stubborn she is, and how protective she is of her feelings – even in a different form. You managed to get through to her, and hell, it's a miracle she got through to you." Jack fiddled with his fingers. "I'm sure, in some really crazy way, this happened – again – for a reason. I mean, the last time it happened, it brought you guys to each other. Who knows? Maybe it'll bring you two closer."

"Or apart," Jack said, nodding. Oh my word, how did Kim deal with his pessimism?

"That's worst case scenario, now," I told him, and he shrugged.

Jack un-tucked one knew from his chest, and let it straighten out on the floor. "What I'm afraid of is that she's hurt, or is even on the brink of death. I brought this all upon her. I just hope that she's okay."

"She will be," I said. "You need to stop worrying." I put my arm around him and pulled him in for a hug, but he still seemed tense. I was a girl, not HIV. "Dude. Stop being so tense. Is it bad for people to respond to hugs?" then Jack hugged me back. He smelt good. No, that did not mean I was going to pull a Donna Tobin. When we parted, and I got up, and offered my hand out.

"I need some time alone," Jack said.

Nuh-huh. "Jack. You've had enough time alone. We need to get through this together. There are other people besides yourself who are also having trouble wrapping all of this around their heads." Jack rolled his eyes and took my hand, and I helped him up. "You're a skinny boy, aren't you?"

Jack looked taken aback. "Pardon?'

"You're a skinny little panda." Okay, he wasn't small, considering his insane height, but still. He was skinnier than I was. I couldn't help but feel the smallest tinge of jealousy. How pathetic of me. This Kim incident was really getting to my head. "We need to get you some jelly babies out this vending machines. And a Snickers bar. And we'll get you a muffin. _And_ Coke."

"Are you trying to kill me?" Jack squealed.

"You're under stress, and all you are is meat and bone, with muscle and a pretty hot boy." Jack used to be swim at a pool near me, and I remember Kim, Grace and I tried stalking him every time he was there a few summers ago. Jack's nose twitched. "Don't tell me you don't notice how hot you are."

Jack shook his head and _laughed_. I made Jack laugh? "You're very honest," Jack said, stuffing his hands in his jean pockets.

"And you're sexily scrawny," I told him. "Now, c'mon, Jackson. Let's get you some more muscle." He shook his head at me, still chuckling. He wasn't so bad, was he? He was a step below emo, I guess. He _laughed_. I turned to the vending machine beside us, and I took three bucks out of my pocket. "Okay, so what's it going to be? Jelly babies? Jelly beans? Wine gums?"

"I'll get chips," Jack shrugged.

Hell no. "Okay," I repeated. "So what is it going to be, Jack? _Jelly babies, jelly beans or wine gums?_"

**:.:.:.:.:**

**JACK**

After I'd eaten the load of food Kelsey had bought me (which I secretly shared with Eddie and Grace, since they were begging me, and no way was I going to eat it all), the doctors had gotten back to Mr. Crawford. The poor man was going the craziest out of everybody. Kim's mom had calmed down a little bit, and taken Amber to the cafeteria.

"Dr. Bennett, I'm so glad that it's a familiar face getting back to me," Mr. Crawford said as soon as a doctor with jet-black Elvis hair, and big blue eyes came to us. Mr. Crawford's hands were shaking even after the doctor, whom he had called Dr. Bennett told us all to be seated. "Is it good news or bad news?"

Dr. Bennett didn't look too happy. My stomach knotted. I could feel my breathing become very short. "Well, a little bit of both," the doctor said very seriously. "The impact on the body didn't seem as hard as the first time round, Thank God, meaning there wasn't as much damage done. However, it has come to my attention that Kim's been in … critical condition the entire time, meaning this whole incident took a way more further blow than we thought."

"What do you mean critical condition?" Mr. Crawford shouted, standing up. "When you discharged my daughter, you said everything was going smoothly."

"Yes, but nothing had shown up in the X-Rays then to what they're showing now," Dr. Bennett said, putting a reassuring hand on Mr. Crawford's shoulder. He didn't seem to calm down at all. He was still fuming. "Kim wouldn't need any surgery at all, but now there's something else that's come up, that could … kill her."

I suffocated on air then. Everybody did. I swear I was going to die right then and there. I put my hand against my chest, as if it were to stop the fast beating of my heart. But it didn't. It was amazing how no one could hear it.

"Well," Mr. Crawford snapped. "Are you going to tell me what's going on?" Dr. Bennett remained quiet. He was nervous, we could all see. Just him being nervous caused my heart to beat faster, so hard and fast that my ears were heating up.

"Kim's body hasn't been responding normally to the medication," Dr. Bennett said, and glanced at his clipboard. "And it has been brought to my attention that Kim has developed a brain tumor?"

OH MY GOD.

I think I just forgot what air was.

It all started to make sense. The passing out, and really unusual ways of gaining her memories. Her random break down in the dojo earlier on today. Why she actually stopped in the middle of the road.

And to think I just watched her through it all, refusing to help her because she said she didn't want any help. I did it because I respected her. And now death was knocking on her door?

Why am I such an idiot?

Why couldn't I have just helped her?

I glanced at Kelsey, and I saw that she wasn't hiding how shocked she was. She was hyperventilating loudly, a hand over her chest, crouched down on her chair. She's recognized it too. She knew too. She was there the night I tried to hijack Kim to help her. If I could turn back the clock, I'd continue driving, taking her there. Even if it meant we never almost kissed, it's okay! Because if I _cared_ about her, I would have done the right thing. I should have. I should have. I should have.

I regretted that night altogether.

"Is she going to be okay?" I choked out after a dragging silence.

Dr. Bennett sighed. "That's the thing. We don't know. We could try and remove the cyst, but we don't know if we can get enough of it out to stop from spreading to her other organs, therefore stopping their function, or even picking up diseases, killing her."

Mr. Crawford poked Dr. Bennett. "Are you telling me that the medication _you_ prescribed to my daughter is going to _kill_ her?!"

"If we'd maybe got some earlier reports of headaches and such as, we could have been able to control it, but now we hardly can, unless we remove it completely."

"Kim never showed any sign of having a brain tumor," Mr. Crawford folded his arms. "She was perfectly fine."

Oh boy.

I looked around, seeing everyone eye each other suspiciously. Kelsey started tapping her foot.

"Well, we need to do this surgery, and it's on medical aid," Dr. Bennett said. "If we don't do it, sir, your daughter could suffer a slow and painful death."

I couldn't take it any more. The words echoed in my head. Slow and painful death.

All because of me.

I got up, and I didn't know where to go next, but my feet took me to the bathroom. When I slammed the door open, I stormed into a stall, and I just lost it. I started kicking everywhere, punching the door, screaming out loud, slamming my fists into the tile wall. I started heaving, releasing all of my energy and anger out on the stall.

Kim was here because of me.

I'm killing her. _I'm_ killing her.

I'm just as bad as my dad, pushing somebody to the edge, fucking things up. What's wrong with me?!

"JACK!" I heard coming from outside the stall. "JACK!" I stopped, standing still, and I exhaled a shaky breath. I opened the door, and saw the face of Jerry. I started breathing more quickly, as if I was suffocating. I felt these imaginary hands wrap around my neck, and I just broke down, sinking to my knees on the floor. "Jack, man, she's okay to be okay. Everything's fine."

"NO!" I barked, and felt a tear roll down my cheek. "NOTHING'S OKAY. It's all my fault! I knew all along! I should have done something! I should have helped her, but because I'm such an asshole, I didn't …" my voice cracked, and I bit my lip. I couldn't choke out the rest.

"Everything happens for a reason," Jerry said softly.

I knew that. I knew that everything happened for a reason. Yes, it might bring Kim and I closer, or apart, or another reason completely.

But I just wish that I knew the reason for sure.

**:.:.:.:.:**

_**Two Weeks Later …**_

**:.:.:.:.:**

**KIM**

My eyes came into contact with a bright light, burning my dilated pupils, making me squeal. Almost straight away, I felt a pounding in my head, and pain springing off in the back of my head. I'd woken up from sleeping before, but then I couldn't help going back to sleep. It's like someone was forcing my eyelids closed.

What's worse is that I had the strangest feeling of déjà vu, which made the pain even worse. I heard screaming, screeching and squealing. All the noise stopped after I saw a face staring down at me. It was a guy.

"Kim," his husky voice said. "You're awake."

"Yeah," I croaked. "I'm awake."

I blinked and then turned my head slowly to the side. I heard beeping, and telephones ring in the distance. I looked down at my arms, seeking things poked into them, and shivers went down my spine. They were sticking needles in me! I moved my eyebrows up and down, only to feel something sticking to my head, and something was holding my locks from being free. I was obviously in a hospital ward.

"How are you feeling?" The really attractive doctor asked me.

"My head hurts," it sounded more of a question than an answer. "Why am I here? And what happened?"

"Don't worry about that now, Kim," the volume of his voice kind of ringed in my ears, and it hurt. "All I need to know is how you're feeling. I'll get back to you as soon as you can."

I needed to ask more questions and I needed more answers. Already, I was so confused. What was I doing here and why? What day of the week was it? What's the time? Where are my parents, my friends? But before I could ask the doctor anything, he was out.

I turned my head and saw a desk next to me, full of balloons, flowers and wrapped gifts. I couldn't help but smile. People did care. All the balloons seemed to say _Get Well Soon!_ and a few with Mickey Mouse, and there were bouquets, a lot with daisies, but out of all of them, I seemed to recognize one.

A bouquet of orange roses.

Okay, what?

I'm so curious. I have to see.

If they're from Brody to apologize, I'll just throw them away. I didn't want to hear it. But still. A lot of people knew that orange roses were my favorite. Well, not really.

I (painfully) reached over, and grabbed at it, taking the glass vase in my hands, and almost dropping it, because it was so slippery. I brought it to my lap and sighed, shoving the roses into my face.

I guess the one thing I loved about being in hospital was all the attention I got. For what? Getting hurt? Being an idiot? It was kind of … pleasant.

But as I smelt the flowers, I felt a point edge poke my noise. I leaned away and saw a white pear of paper sticking out of the flowers. I took it out and saw it was a card. On the envelope, it said, _you always used to talk about orange roses, and how you could never find them. I guess a nice way of waking up from a painful surgery would be seeing your favorite flowers._

Wait? Surgery? I rest the card down and looked around, hoping to see a doctor somewhere, just come in and start to file me in on information. But nobody did. I felt my heart drop a little bit. What in the world is going on? There was a lump forming in my throat, and it wouldn't go away. I was nervous.

What was going on with me, and why was no one giving me answers?

I slammed my head back into the pillow, and then winced. I'm so stupid. I just had surgery. Why was I lying into a pillow like this? I looked back at the card and realized something.

This wasn't Brody's writing. Oh no, it was way too neat.

Now I was becoming more curious.

I decided to stop torturing myself and tore the envelope open. Maybe inside of it, there would be more answers. I hoped so. And I'd also like to know who was the owner of the beautiful writing.

I pulled out two pages from the envelope, both of them having different writing. One looked like the cursive I'd seen on the envelope, and there other was big, and printed – just like Kelsey's. That brought a smile to my face.

I started with the cursive letter.

_Kim._

_I know. Pretty cheesy, right? I guess you make me feel that way, and since none of the doctors have let me just come in to see you, I couldn't come in and see your gorgeous face to get me through the week. But life sucks that way. _

_I know what you're probably thinking. Schizoids aren't gorgeous. Well, you are. _

_Cheesy, again. _

_Look at me. Being all cheesy for you._

_Kelsey's seeing this letter, and she says that she wants to approve of it. She wants me to put a smile on your face. And I hope I am, otherwise what I've just said would totally ruin my rep of being too-cool-to-care. But I'm not too cool to care for you. I can imagine your smile now._

_I need to see you again, or I think I might listen to some really loud depressing break up music. _

_JACK. _

Wait. Jack?!

As in, Jack Anderson?

Jack Anderson sent me flowers? What the hell? Was he stalking me or something? I wouldn't mind him doing so, actually. He was pretty sexy. He could climb into my bed any night, I wouldn't give a flying foot. But still. The note kind of freaked me out.

He was calling me gorgeous. A gorgeous schizoid?

Was this some kind of sick joke?

I hadn't done anything bad.

Have I?

Whatever. I moved onto Kelsey's letter.

_Dear Kim,_

_Hope you're feeling a bunch better. We've been through hell worrying about you. Especially Jack. He's going completely berserk, you'd think someone killed him mommy. _

_Tried seeing you but they didn't let us ): We all wanted to see you, and unfortunately, we couldn't squeeze all of our letters into one envelope, and plus, we don't wanna overwhelm you. Don't want you to go all psycho on us._

_That was a joke._

_Haha. _

_Hehe._

_Eh._

_Better go! Jerry, Eddie, Grace, Julie and I think Milton all send I love yous. And you know what Jack said, I'm hoping. ;) _

_Love ya!_

_Kelsey. _

My head started hurting more. Why were they sending their regards? Jerry is a sick pervert, Eddie _thinks_ he's some lady's man who has his way with every girl on the market. Julie and Milton are nerds but Grace?!

Why was she sending a regard?

She hated my guts, and that was actually the only reason I hated her back. I didn't actually. I'd kill to be friends with her again, and now I actually was? What was going on? I needed answers. Before I actually _do_ go psycho?

What did Kelsey mean by that?

Psycho? Schizoid?

I'm so confused.

Maybe this is all some crazy dream. I picked up the case and settled it on the side desk, along with the papers and letters. I was going to sleep this off. Everything was going to be fine. I'm just having some weird dream where Jack Anderson is speaking to me like we're romantically involved, and Kelsey confirms that we are with her stupid winky face.

I'm so going to get her when I get out of here.

I settled back into my pillow and forced my eyes closed, and forced myself to sleep. Hopefully for a very long time. I felt the sudden need for rest.

**:.:.:.:.:**

"Kimmy? You up? The doctor said you woke up earlier and stuff, and that you were talking. Am I talking to myself?"

"I'm sure she can hear you, but she's too lazy to open her eyes. Kim's always had trouble getting up in the mornings."

I recognized those two voices. One of them was Kelsey's. And I'm pretty sure the other's was Jack's. Not that I'd heard his talk too many times for me to recognize. He always had headphones on his ears. But I knew that he actually had a nice voice. It was soothing.

Now that Brody and I are over, and he seemed to have pretty odd feelings for him, we could go out. He did kind of live up to my standards. If only he just wore color … that's something I could change.

I opened my eyes, and my eyes saw two smiling faces. One of them, as I had predicted, was Kelsey. She was wearing something odd. Not usually like her. She was wearing jeans, and a shirt. She wasn't wearing any jewelry. Her hair was tied up, and Kelsey was _short_, so even I could see she wasn't wearing heels. Next to her, I saw Jack. He was as gorgeous as usual, but there was something different about him too. He was wearing a green shirt, and no beanie. But then I knew it was instantly him, due to the Beats hanging on his neck.

"Hey," Jack said.

I waved, smiling at him.

"Oh, forget this," Kelsey said, shrugging, and she reached in to hug me. It was a little painful, but I seriously didn't mind at all. It was nice to see a familiar face. Kelsey and I parted, and I looked at Jack, who was still beaming at me. Wow. He smiled? He had a nice smile. He should smile more often.

"You're wearing green," was the first thing I said. Ugh. I'm an idiot. He was just so … attractive.

"I did you a favor," Kelsey said, sitting on the bed at my feet. "At first, he was totally against it, but then when I said it was for you, he couldn't say no." Even though it was Kelsey speaking, I couldn't help but stare at Jack. He was staring at me back, his eyes intensely burning into mine.

Kelsey noticed this. "Well, I'm suddenly very hungry. I'm going to go get a burger and you guys can … you know ... whatever." Kelsey winked at me before skidding out of the room. Yeah. She wasn't wearing heels, was she?

When Kelsey left, the weirdest thing happened. Jack came closer to me, and bent over, his face coming closer to mine, and soon, he was hovering over me, his forehead pressed against mine. I was trying to gulp down the lump in my throat, but it was growing and growing, butterflies flying like crazy in my stomach. What was he doing?

And why was he making me feel so … tingly?

"I'm sorry, Kim," he said, or whispered. "I was such a jerk to you. And I let you get away, leading you into this mess. I'm sorry for everything, and that instead of making you feel better that day, I made you feel worse. I made you feel crazy, and I know that you hate that. I was just angry. I shouldn't have taken it out on you." He licked his lips. I could watch him do it all day. "Through the time we've been apart, you know, I realized something. I … I love you."

What?

What's happening? Why does he love me? What in the hat is happening? What in the hat happened? Oh my God. Was I dating Jack? Did everybody know? What happened to Brody? I hope he knew. It would fry him alive. I wanted to fry him alive.

My brain had been brought to pause, though.

Because another pair of lips rested on mine.

The butterflies didn't stop now. They were getting worse. Jack was kissing me. Jack was kissing me! And he was really good at it. I didn't pull away, like I was supposed to. I kissed him back. But as soon as I did, the confusion was beginning to eat me up. I regretfully pulled away.

"Is something wrong?" He asked, really concerned. He was so sweet.

I nodded and gulped, looking into his beautiful brown eyes. "I'm really confused, Jack. What's going on? And why did you just kiss me? Why did you just say you love me? I don't even … I'm so confused."

"Kim, what's up?" Jack asked, taking my hand. "Are you embarrassed to be seen with me? Because people have started to notice this."

"Notice what?"

Jack's expression changed. His face went pale and I saw his Adam's apple bob up and down. "Kim, we are going out right? Do you remember what happened?"

I blinked. "No."

**:.:.:.:.:**

**Author's Note:**

_I AM ON A ROLL. HELLS YEAH. _

_Well, this was more of a little filler, you know, after the big chapter, and the next will be all dramatic and stuff. I know, a little predictable, BUT THERE IS A TWIST. THERE ARE ALWAYS TWISTS. _

_Sad news. This story's end is going to be either chapter 12 or 13, so it means we only have so little chapters left :"( But I'm not going to get all upset just yet, because I still owe you guys a lot. _

_Please review (: I love reviews! They motivate me a lot. (: and alert or whatever as well, those also count :D I'll be updating soon. I don't want to keep you lot waiting at all (: _

_Keep amazing, lovelies!_

_Nia (: xx_


	11. Chapter 11: Upside Down

**Author's Note: **

_YOU ARE AMAZING. ALL OF YOU. I LOVE YOU. KISSES FOR EVERYBODY. I need coffee. I'm really tired, but I can't leave you guys hanging (: so here's the eleventh chapter! I'm going to leave this AN nice and short, because I really need to get going. I'm not always in a rush like this, but now I am! Not my best, but enjoy! (: This chapter continues from the last for a little bit, although there is hardly a need to. _

_**DISCLAIMER: **__I don't own Kickin' It. I would love to and all, but sadly, that's just life. _

**:.:.:.:.:**

**KIM**

Jack's eyes widened at me, as if I'd magically grown a second head. I was becoming afraid. What had happened? Someone better tell me what's going on before I pop. First, I get balloons and cards (and flowers) from people I hardly know (and I'm pretty sure I hated – well, Grace, Julie and Milton) and now Jack's claiming his love for me, and I don't even know if I love him back.

I don't even know if I _should_.

I was so confused.

I'm hoping this is one twisted and very sick dream.

There was only one worse Jack said next. "Shit."

"What's going on, Jack?" I asked him, but he didn't respond. He asked me a question.

"What do you last remember, Kim?"

I gulped. Was I supposed to remember something specific? I looked up into his eyes and almost melted. That just came out of nowhere. How can I feel such feelings for a guy I didn't know, and kiss him back when he kissed me? "I was outside Brody's house … and we were fighting. And then something else happened. But …" I didn't remember. I was so busy observing my gifts and wondering why I was in hospital in the first place than think about what might have been.

I tried to remember, but nothing came back. I was trying to remember with everything I had, but all I could remember was that fateful night, the night I found Brody and Donna together, and then we were arguing. I remember storming away from him, but from after that, nothing. It was as if it had been erased.

I wanted to say something, say I remembered, but I couldn't. My mouth opened, but nothing came out. Then I shook my head. "I want to know what's going on."

"It's not my place to tell you," Jack said, leaning away from me, and looked focused at the bed, as if he were really in the zone, or even possessed. It scared me. _This_ scared me. What was going on? I needed to know! Somebody should know why they're in hospital!

I sighed, and swallowed the tears in my throat. Kim Crawford shouldn't cry in public. It only shows weakness. Jack looked back up at me, his eyes still hard. "You seriously don't remember?"

"Are you trying to make me feel bad?" I snapped.

"No, not at all, I'm just really amazed."

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah. Because me, in a ward, without a reason, is totally amazing Jack." Who does this dude think he is, just waltzing up in here, making out with me, then when I ask him a question, he refuses to answer? "Answer me!"

"No." He said, not as loudly as I had, but a deadly tone was being used.

That's it. I kicked his shoulder with my foot from under the blanket so he could look up at me. "Look. I don't know what you're problem is, but if this is your idea of a joke, it's seriously not funny. I don't know how in the hell you'd think that you have the right to just barge in her, basically molest me, telling me you're in love with me, and then you don't even tell me why I'm here. I could press charges, you know."

Jack's eyebrow rose, and so did he, but he stumbled a bit. "We're going to need a doctor!" Jack said, very loudly, and stormed out the ward, leaving me speechless. All these thoughts were flooding my head. What if my family died or something, and we were all in the crazy plane crash? I put my hand on my forehead, stressed …

I didn't feel my forehead, however. I felt a rough surface. Was that a bandage? My hand moved to my ears, and I could feel something like a thread, and as soon as I touched the tender spot, I quietly shriek in pain. I needed a mirror. Now.

I looked around the room, not finding anything that could reflect my face. Even if it was something as simple as a spoon. I looked across the room, seeing a sink, which was dripping water slowly. Above it was a mirror. I needed to get there.

I cut off all of the contact with the advanced medical technology from my body my carefully pulling everything out. Slowly but surely, I was then free. I moved my body, pain starting to sting from many different places. I saw my knee had a gauze placed on it, a red stain appearing from underneath. I winced as my feet came into contact with the cold, tile floor. God, why was getting up so painful?

I hauled my body weight onto my ankles, and then I was standing up. I let out a sigh of relief. I can do this. I can make it to the mirror. I slowly put my left foot in front of my right, then my right in front of my left. I carried on doing this until I was walking at a normal pace, making my way towards the mirror.

Everything was going fine.

Until my head was basically hit by a log of wood. The pain only lasted about a second, but it was enough to knock me over, and all four fell to the floor, and I gripped my head. I had screamed, a scream which echoed through the room.

Something else happened.

I squeezed my eyes closed, and images started flashing through my very eyes. Bright lights. I heard my name being screamed – a scream I remember coming from Brody. The voice changed, but they were still screaming my name with the same agony.

"_KIM!" _

I turned around, and saw nobody. It felt as if somebody was in here with me, calling my name. I didn't like this feeling. This feeling of being watched. I wasn't being watched at all. It shouldn't feel so. I struggled up to my feet again, and saw that the mirror was actually right in front of me. For my eyes to settle into focus, I took a few more steps, trying to ignore the throbbing pain that I felt on my head.

When I saw myself in the mirror, I gasped, jumping back. I looked horrible – as if I'd just been hit by a car. My head had been bandaged, blood coming through the fabric. My hair falling in knots, framing my face in such an unflattering way. I saw stitches that had kept my eyebrow together, making me look more of a pirate. My nose and jaw bone had terrible purple bruises, and my chin had gauze on it as well.

How could Jack kiss such a face?

He must really love me then.

But how?

I looked back into the mirror, but instead of just containing my face, I saw another, which made my shriek in horror.

I blinked, trying to get the image away, but it stayed, and wouldn't go away.

I'm pretty sure you shouldn't be seeing double in a mirror.

Only what made this experience even more scarier is that the second me and I didn't look the same. You saw me, this bruised and bandaged blonde with so much confusion filling her head, almost enough to make her sick. Then you saw the other, me, but she had straight hair (I hardly ever straighten my hair!) with the perfect face, even without any trace of make up. She was staring at me, but instead of smirking smugly, she just kept her face serious.

My heart literally stopped when I saw the figure come closer to me in the mirror. I couldn't bear to turn around. My blood was pumping hard, and I was becoming so hot, I could feel sweat start to develop on my brow. I saw as _her _hands started rising, and I saw then reach for my neck.

I felt a presence.

I could feel the hands start to tighten their grip on my neck.

I sucked in a breath.

"Kim!" I heard from behind me, and I screamed, getting possibly the hugest fright of my life. My legs suddenly gave in, and I almost fell to the floor, but two strong arms wrapped around me. It was sore, but right now I didn't care. "Kim. What the hell are you doing?"

I could feel something in my head snap. I just broke out. The confusion was killing me. Even after being awake for barely an hour, I could feel myself going slowly insane. I looked up into my hero's eyes and sighed, but as I did, two tears streamed down my cheek. "I don't know what I'm doing, Jack."

**:.:.:.:.:**

_**A Week Later …**_

**:.:.:.:.:**

"Home sweet home," I muttered to myself, getting out of the car, looking at my house. It felt a little strange, coming back to reality. I'd been gone for so long – well, _me_ anyway. The doctors had explained everything; what happened to me. How I developed DID and about how I had a cyst growing in my brain throughout this period, which caused me to hardly get hit by a car, but the pain still measured up to the first time anyways because of my brain tumor. They removed it straight away, but I came back my original personality, and apparently, the person I saw in the mirror, was in fact, the other version of me.

A psychologist was called in by my mother, asking me all kinds of questions. She didn't deserve to know what was going on in my head. She made me feel like a complete retard.

"Do you remember your name?"

"Can you tell me what happened October 5th?"

"What day is it today?"

"Have you ever heard any voices in your head?"

"Is there anything going on at home?"

I'm perfectly fine! Well, I was. It's horrible, being told that the last four months of your life had been lived by somebody else, who was you? In my head, it was that way. But according to Mrs. Stander, my therapist (well, she isn't going to be, because I refuse to go) I am perfectly healthy. It's just my head that's a little messed up.

Schizophrenia had no cure, but it could be controlled. Mrs. Stander asked me if maybe we could discuss how to control my inner demons at our next session. I wanted to rip her head off then, see her scream, see her lose control, just how I did.

And worse. In front of Jack.

I don't know why, but now, he was always on my mind. Not just how insanely hot he was, but also him. How he seemed so sweet to me after I started crying on his shoulder like a crazy person, and I was screaming at him to get me milk (I hate how tasteless water is. It drives me mad!) but he seemed so sweet about all of it.

I remember questioning him about it in the hospital …

**:.:.:.:.:**

_I narrowed my eyes at the attractive brunet, shaking my head and putting my empty cup on the desk beside me. He was watching me carefully, his eyes narrowed as well, but naturally, as if he were concentrating. _

"_Well? How in the hell did this happen?"_

_Jack smirked. "You got hit by a car."_

_I rolled my eyes. "I know that. I mean us. When did we happen?" I was tempted to ask him if Brody knew, but then he smiled at me, and I could hardly think. Jack had one of those amazing smiles, the rare kind. And when it hit you, it was like a tidal wave of bliss. _

"_Not too long ago, actually. We kind of got together the day before ..." Jack's jaw clenched and my heart sunk. He was all sad again. I felt guilty for bringing the subject upon him. "If you feel differently, Kim, tell me. I don't want to force you into anything you don't want to do."_

_I gulped. Did I want to "break up" with him? I seriously didn't know. He wasn't that bad at all. I'd discovered that he wasn't all I thought him to be. He was one of the sweetest people I knew. Just a few hours of him waiting on my hand had foot was all I needed. But I was so confused right now. I needed to figure things out._

"_Can I get back to you on that one?" I asked him. "I have enough on my plate." Jack nodded. He didn't deserve this. He's such a good guy, and now I'm keeping him waiting?_

**:.:.:.:.:**

I let out a growl of frustration, just thinking of the memory – one of the very few memories my head currently held.

I followed my mother into the house, Amber holding my hand. When the front door opened, it looked normal. Just as I'd remembered it. I'm glad it hadn't changed at all. Well, apart from the Christmas decorations, since it was just around the corner, also meaning because of my operation, I totally missed Thanksgiving. I started touching everything, just to see if it _felt_ the same as well.

Ugh. Look at me. I am going crazy.

"You hungry, babe? I could cook up your favorite – Mac 'N Cheese." I was really grateful for my mother's offer, but I wasn't hungry. I'd drank too much milk this morning. I shook my head.

But then I smiled. I wanted to make her happy. "Actually, you know what? You can start cooking, mom. I'll be down in ten." My mother smiled. I'd recognized it. It looked exactly like mine. I looked down at Amber, who was pulling me towards the living room. "Ambie, I'll be down now-now, okay? Then we can watch …" I sneaked in the living room, seeing what was playing. "… iCarly together." Amber smiled a toothly and also toothless smile at me, and hugged my knees.

"I missed you, Kimmy," she said. I smiled

"I missed you too, kiddo," I ruffled her hair, and she giggled, running away from me.

I just needed to lie down and think. Just maybe sleep for a minute or two. I headed up the stairs, and even predicted the creek on the sixth step – the creak that's always been here, ever since seventh grade. I sighed in relief. Why was I so nervous? This was home. And would always be. I came to my room door as soon as I reached the top of the staircase and opened my room door.

I stood there, amazed.

My room looked really different.

I remember leaving it pink. But it was different now. There was no trace of pink _at all_ in my room anymore. It was all just purple and green. Even my dressing table had been replaced. Something caught in my throat. I didn't know whether to be just plain astonished or really disappointed. If this other me did something here, I'm going to search for clues.

I looked around my room, and all I saw were empty picture frames. But there were sticky notes in front of all of them. I narrowed my eyes, bringing them into focus. _For New Memories_. I even had different writing. Instead of my fat printing, I had thin and really curly writing. A little like Jack's, only it looked more girly somehow.

I made my way to the dressing table, coated in white paint, and I snatched at the products on top of it. I still used the same everything, which was a slight relief, but something else caught my eye on the dressing table. It was an envelope. _My New Memories_, it said, also in my other self's writing. I picked up the orange envelope, and I sat on my bed, sinking into the mattress.

I lay back onto it for a second, taking in it's comfort. It was way better than the hospital beds, for sure.

What had I done? Everything was so different. It was driving me crazy that I didn't remember any of it. Only a few DID patients remembers the events which occurred when their second self took over. Why couldn't I be one of them? Why was it me that had to have this problem?

Ugh. I guess I have been a bitch. I deserve this. I deserve being hit by a car, and being crazy. I'd been so mean to Grace, stealing Brody from her, when little did I know, he'd pull the same stunt on me. Little squirt. I wish I'd listened to Grace, the night she found out. How she didn't want to lose me over some guy, when he was going to do the same thing to me he did to her.

Why didn't I listen?

I'm such a bad person.

I sat up, feeling a little depressed, and I ripped the envelope over, and I reached my fingers inside, feeling smooth and glossy paper at my fingertips. I took the very large stacks of pictures out and settled them onto my white jeans. The first picture was of me (with my straight hair) on a very unfamiliar bed, a black guitar under my arms. There was a thumb covering a fifth of the picture, but somehow, it still looked perfect. I was laughing without a care, my fingers barely holding a chord. I smiled to myself and switched to the next picture.

This one wasn't of me, though. I think maybe I was taking the picture. It was of Jack, with his longish brown hair, in a beanie. His hands were covering his face, but middle and ring fingers wide apart, so you could still see his eyes. I laughed out loud, and covered my mouth. So I was close to Jack, wasn't I? Close enough to him to be taking pictures of him.

The next one was of me and Kelsey, outside my neighborhood. I was trying to balance on a skateboard – my old skateboard – and Kelsey was trying to help me balance. I couldn't help but notice my very unusual attire. I wasn't wearing that shirt like I normally would. I could see it was one of my old floral long sleeved shirts, but it had been cut nicely, and I was wearing a white vest underneath. I didn't look like the glamour queen I always was. I looked normal, and relaxed. It was nice.

I flipped to the next picture, and saw a picture that was taken at school. Jack was busy listening to music – typical –, Jerry was busy eating a hotdog, totally unaware of the camera, Eddie was stroking Grace's hair, her trying to slap him away, and a ginger haired kid – who was Milton, I remember now, was sitting on her side, looking as if he was shouting. The photograph looked totally spontaneous.

The next picture I stopped at though, because it simply just brought tears to my eyes. I threw them down on the bed, but I couldn't help but glance back at it. It was of Grace, Kelsey, Julie – Milton's very calm girlfriend. The complete opposite of him – and I, all standing next to each other behind school. Only Kelsey and I were smiling at the camera. Julie was busy on her cellphone, and Grace had her arms crossed, looking into the distance. Even though it wasn't the prettiest picture, it brought back memories.

Too many memories for me to bear. We all used to be so close, and the fact that my previous self had done something I didn't had the guts doing made me feel horrible. I was Kim Crawford, for God's sakes! I wasn't scared of anything … except the past. And Grace and Brody were my past.

I heard the door creak open, and my mother's face popped into view. "Kim darling, if you're still hungry, the lunch is downstairs in the microwave. I just had to warm it up for you." I nodded. But then she came into my room, and closed the door behind her. She saw the tears freshly fallen and gave me a sad smile. "A little overwhelmed?" I nodded and she came closer and sat down next to me, wrapping her arms around my shoulders. "You were trying to find yourself, you know, but you were trying to do it while not cutting your true self out completely. You were trying to create a space in the middle."

I continued to sniffle, just looking at my wooden floors, and my mother sighed, continuing. "You did it once, but you can do it again. But this time, maybe you'd need a little help?"

I looked at my mother, raising an eyebrow. "What do you mean by a little help?"

"I know you don't want this, Kimmy, but it's what's best …"

"What's best?"

There was a little pause. "I think you seeing Mrs. Stander would be a good idea."

Oh hell no. I think she was the only woman on this planet who was crazier than I am right now! "No!" I protested, getting up. "No, no, no!"

"Kim, just hear me out …"

"Hear you out?" I shrieked, really loud. "And giving me a little help?! Why do you deserve to be heard, anyways? Probably the last time I'd choose to, because you're sending me off to some loony bin."

"I'm not sending you anywhere!" My mother shouted, getting up from the bed as well.

"You might as well!" I yelped. "Why don't I get a say in this? Why don't I ever get a say in anything?"

"Don't snap at me, young lady!" My mother started walking away from me. "I'm not liking your attitude."

"Well, I'm not apologizing for not being the daughter you've become so attached to these past months! But have you ever just thought about what it would be like for me?! You don't care about me, mom! All you care about if being the perfect family everyone expects us to be!" I was surprised at my sudden burst, but it was all true. My mother has never cared about this family. She only cares about how people see it. It could be messed up, she wouldn't care, as long as nobody would notice.

I knew I'd said the truth, because my mother's face went pale. She shook her head. "Well, I'm sorry you feel that way, Kimberly." She only said my full name when she was really pissed off with me. "But the decision's final. You're going to see Mrs. Stander." And then she exited my room.

Why wouldn't anybody just understand that I didn't want any help?! I didn't need it! I screamed and threw a pillow at the door long after she'd left, but it seemed to let a few of the fumes out of me. I felt my anger start to evaporate, as it turned into hopeless and sad tears.

**:.:.:.:.:**

**JACK  
**

I didn't know Kim had been discharged from hospital today, but when Mrs. Crawford called our house, asking if I could come over. It was weird, and never done before. Mrs. Crawford hardly knew me. The arrangement was that Kim would always be at my house, so her mother wouldn't know about her and Donna's fall out, but she found out anyways, when Kim underwent her surgery. She flipped out on Donna's mom, and her, and Grace and Kelsey harassed her at school the following day about it. Brody put up a fight, but I didn't feel like fighting. All I could worry about was Kim being in hospital, _dying_.

Donna felt really bad about what she'd done. When she found out that Kim needed surgery, she started crying, telling us she was sorry for being such a prick. Forgiveness didn't come that easily to me. I knew how to hold a grudge.

But as I was skateboarding to Kim's, I was thinking about what had happened, and where were actually were now. Right back to square one. It was the other way around, all of this. Instead of Kim, begging for me to be in her life, it was I begging her. The world had turned completely upside down.

When I went up Kim's driveway, knots were twisting around in my stomach. When I knocked on Kim's front door, I had half the mind of running away, but I didn't. I wanted to see her, but at the same time, I didn't. I was afraid of her answer – afraid that she didn't feel the same anymore.

Kim's mother answered the door, and surprisingly hugged me, and very tightly she did. "Jack," she said, and then pulled away. "You're our last hope." Last hope? "You need to talk some sense into Kim. I know that she hardly remembers her time with you, but I'm pretty sure she'd listen to you."

"What's the problem?" I asked her.

She sighed. "I want her to go to a therapist, but she refuses. I'm not doing it for her, I'm doing it for me. I think it will help her control her … problem. She's twisting the whole story around, but it's only because she's upset." This was kind of funny. Never in a million years did I expect Connie Crawford, one of the most successful women in Seaford, asking me to help knock some sense into her daughter.

I wasn't against her at all. I think Kim going to a therapist would be great for her. It would be a way of her letting out all she has bottled up, and it would never get out. If she told Kelsey and Grace, it had more chance of getting out – just like how Donna found out that Kim had schizophrenia.

I nodded. "Okay. I'll see what I can do." Mrs. Crawford let me inside. Whoa. Kim's house looked good on the outside, but on the inside, it was serious outstanding. It was like something out of a magazine. I heard a TV being played in the background, and my first instinct was to head up the stairs. When I did, seeing Kim's room out of the rest was really easy. Kim's door had her name on it. I knocked on the door.

"Kim?" I said loudly, enough for my voice to reach the other side of the door. "Kim, open up." I sighed, standing there for a long time, before Kim actually opened up for me. When she did, I saw her face was red with tears, and her hair looked a little messy. I'd seen the look before, so it was nothing new.

"Jack!" she shrieked, and closed the door right in my face, before I could even step inside. I was not in the mood.

"Kim. Open up. Please."

"I look like Medusa!"

I laughed. Before, Kim would have never given a downright damn. Things were different now anyways. The other Kim was gone – for a little while, perhaps. Or maybe for good. When Kim opened the door again, her hair was brushed, and her tears were dried, but her face was still a little puffy. She let me in and I nervously shoved my hands into my jean pockets, looking around Kim's room.

I smiled at her, and she fake smiled back at me. I could see it was fake. After all, I was the expert. What are you doing here?" she asked me.

"Here to knock some sense into you," I said, and I sighed. She totally was going to hate me after this. "Kim. I think you should go and see somebody about all of this." Kim's mouth dropped open.

"You too?!" Kim shrilled. "No, no, no!" She was always so stubborn. "Then you might as well get out, because there is no way in hell I'm going, Jack."

"Kim, listen, to me …"

"I don't want to," Kim said. "I'm not crazy. Well, maybe I am, but not enough to be sent to someone about it! I'm perfectly fine! There was no point in you coming here, trying to get me to do something totally against my will …"

"I'm not making you do anything!" I shouted.

"THEN WHAT'S THE WHOLE POINT OF THIS?"

"THE POINT IS THAT I'M NOT GOING TO WATCH YOU GO THROUGH THIS AGAIN." There was a deafening silence, and I could see I am Kim speechless. I felt bad for shouting at her, but she needed to get passed this stubborn pride thing! She needed help! "Kim, I know, that from your side, all of this ain't no picnic, but from our view, it's isn't a picnic ether! Everyday you were in hospital, Kim, something was eating me up inside, and just the fact that thinking you wouldn't make it killed me, because I was the one to blame. I should have stopped you, ran after you, anything! But all I did was stand and watch.

"I'm not going to make the same mistake twice! I'm not going to let this all run past me! This is reality, Kim! Face it! Face the fact that you're a little different, because it isn't going to change, and I'm not going to be living with you in your little fantasy world anymore, thinking everything's okay! It isn't! I only respected your decision because I was your friend!"

"Then why won't you respect my decision now?" Kim shouted back.

"It's different now! I love you!" I might have set it a little too loud, but I didn't care. Kim needed this. I wasn't going to hurt her again. We both didn't need this, together or not. I hated that we were fighting, when we've barely had any time for each other at all. I gulped back the tears that were starting to return from the night where I saw Kim's body fly in the air, hitting the ground. I'd been having nightmares about it. It was haunting me. I needed to clear my conscience.

"I love you," I repeated after the long silence. "And I'm never going to let that go. We need to fix things before they spiral out of control again. I can't lose you again, Kim. None of us can. Don't just do it for us, but do it for you. And I promise you, you'll never have to do this alone, okay?"

Kim's face scrunched up, and her hand covered her eyes, and I heard her start to sob into them. Oh God, I made her cry. What am I doing wrong? The I realized it wasn't that I was doing something wrong, I was doing something right. I was right. She was wrong. And she'd seen that. "I don't want to face this alone," Kim sobbed.

"You don't have to," I said softly, and I reached forward, and she collapsed into my embrace as I held her tightly but carefully, kissing her on top of her tender head. She didn't have to do any of this alone. I was going to be here for her, from the beginning to the end, couple or not.

Kim pulled away slightly. "Jack, would it be crazy to say that even though I barely know you, that I love you too?" I was kind of surprised. "I know, I know. I don't think I love you, but I _know_ a part of me does and always will. You've been there for me since day one. If it weren't for you, I was pretty sure I'd be _in_ a loony bin by now." She was laughing but she was still crying, causing me to smile. "I love you too."

That's seriously all I needed to hear. It wasn't me who did it, but it was Kim who reached in for the kiss first. I was surprised about it at first, but when I started kissing her back, I instantly knew she meant it. The kiss was a gentle one, our lips moving in sync and not lighting for dominance. It felt almost as great as the first time her lips met mine, but this time, it was better. It was _real_.

This was reality.

**:.:.:.:.:**

**Author's Note:**

Oh my word. I'm a little disappointed with my writing in this chapter, but I couldn't leave you guys hanging at all! That would be very mean of me. I was supposed to post it last night, but I've been watching too much Youtube ^.^ and I had to get more gigabytes.

I seriously need to do my homework, and it's like, ten right now! I'm a bad girl (: but please leave a review and tell me what you thought anyways. I love reviews, and I love you guys!

Stay tuned for the next chapter! It will sadly be the last, but it will be the longest, just so I can squeeze everything in (: And I'll be promoting the new story I have in mind in the next chapter (: Sweee. I'm going to miss writing for this story :'( no crying yet, one more chapter left! There'll be lots of Kick in it, and also a little dramatic! :D No other way to end a story, eh? ;)

Let me do my homework before I doze off.

Keep amazing, guys!

Nia (: xx


	12. Chapter 12: Becoming Intact With Reality

**Author's Note:**

_Well, here it is! The last chapter of Wide Awake (: Sorry I've taken so freaking long with the chapter. We just got back from holiday, and already, the teachers are putting so much pressure on us for our test week – so it's study, study, study for me. Your reviews made me want to update, and I would have left you guys waiting longer, but I couldn't. I just couldn't. _

_In this chapter, all questions are answered, so no more confusion. I took a really long time thinking about how this chapter would go, and I didn't want it to be too predictable, but not sad either, if you know what I mean?_

_Anyway, let me get started! :D_

_**DISCLAIMER: **__Kickin' It is not mine, I don't own it at all. All rights go to their rightful owners. _

**:.:.:.:.:**

_**Six Months Later ...**_

**:.:.:.:.: **

**KIM**

Kelsey, Grace, Julie and I were in my bedroom, helping me get ready for my first day back at school, even though it was nearly summer once again. I'd been getting a special tutor, taking things slow on me while I recovered from my injury, and my doctor said I should only start going back to school after I'd made a full and healthy recovery, and now I finally had. I got no more random headaches, and I didn't wince every time I tried to tie my hair.

I was home free.

I've got to say, though, these months without schools have been the best of my life. My friends are actually really cool. At first, I thought they were all complete dorks (including Kelsey), but after a while, they grew on me, and the weirdness kind of stuck. I started really realizing who they were, and not what other people thought they were.

My eyes were open; everything was so clear. Donna brainwashed Kelsey and I into believing that every person you saw who even wore a pair of glasses was a nerd, and that they didn't even deserve breathing the same air as we do. I guess that's what girls like Donna do. Make you believe in something that is really far from the truth.

Julie was helping me pick out an outfit for today. She was actually really good with clothes, and wanted to go into the fashion designing business, but she never wore her own works, which was sad. But all in all, she isn't as bad as I previously thought of her to be.

When I came out in my outfit, my three best friends raised their eyebrows at me. They were looking at my feet. Okay. So maybe I wasn't wearing the pair of Vans Julie gave me to wear. I can't just wear sneakers when I had a pair of heels in the same color. Heels make me feel less short. My feet get sore in flats. They always have. How did the Other me even bare such pain? Maybe she didn't think of her feet much …

Julie shook her head. "It looks good anyway." She smiled, but then it faded, and she squinted her eyes at me. I became a little self conscious, hiding my chest with my left arm.

"What?" I asked. Kelsey and Grace's faces were all funny as well, staring at me like I was a complete freak. Grace burst out laughing, and Kelsey smiled, looking at the ground, shaking her head. Julie shook her head in dismay, like I just slaughtered a dog. What? What did I do? "What?" I asked again?

"Dude, is that a bruise or a love bite?" Kelsey said.

A love bite?

I turned around to my mirror, and couldn't help but admire my appearance first. Skinny jeans and heels did look really good together, she had to admit, and the leather jacket (well, Jack's leather jacket) they'd matched up with it fitted the top, since it was pretty much just a white vest. But then I saw what my friends were going on about. On my neck was one of my old but fresh looking purple bruise.

Not a love bite.

"It's a bruise, you tarts!" I shrieked playfully, and threw the pillow on my dressing table at them, and we all broke into laughter. I calmed down and looked back into the mirror. I rubbed the blue spot on my neck, disgusted. I really don't know how people found bruises sexy. I could barely stand the sight of blood. "Ew," I murmured to myself.

"You better cover that up," Julie said. "Or Jack will freak out. Well, everyone kind of will. You've been AWOL for forever, and you come back with an H word." I giggled at this. It would be a little bit strange, wouldn't it?

I looked at myself again in the mirror, and smiled. I was ready for this. I was ready to face the music.

**:.:.:.:.:**

I tried to ignore some of the looks I got as I entered the glass doors of my school, arm in arm with my three friends. But I couldn't take it. I felt my head becoming heavier, flashes of my past, and I think _that day_ were coming back to me. This wasn't the first time something like this was happening. I'd been experiencing flashbacks all year, in my sleep, in the shower, at dinner, anywhere. It would just hit me.

I'd started going to the therapist, like Jack and my family asked me to. I have to say, it wasn't all that bad. At first, yeah, she was asking me useless shit about who were my friends, if I was depressed, if I'd ever cut. That was pretty much all the first session was. She was trying to figure me out by asking odd questions, and told me to start writing a diary for the week, and come back with it the next time.

I complained to my parents about this, telling them I didn't want to tell a stranger what happened inside my head because they didn't know me at all. They still told me it was good for me and that if I wanted to get better properly, I needed to tell someone things I didn't know. I went to Jack, but he told me the same thing, but in a kinder way, and he didn't threaten to send me to boarding school.

So I started writing the diary, every day, before going to bed, venting my feels, writing each and every detail of what had happened, even though it was not much because I was kept under house arrest. But I did it anyways, and made entries longer by describing what I went through and how weird it was to have lived a whole other life.

The next week, I went back to therapy, and things got even more interesting from there. Mrs. Stander started telling me what schizophrenia and DID was in detail, and she said it was possible to conquer it, but only a few were able to. She said I had to come intact with reality.

I didn't know what the hell it meant at the time, but as my condition got way worse (I started hallucinating even more, thinking people were in the room when they really weren't, my dreams seemed way more real, and I would have random flashbacks, stopping me from what I was doing – even if it were something as simple as standing) I started to do just that. Come intact with reality.

"Well, this is awkward," Grace said. "I'd be staring too. You've been gone for quite some time." So I wasn't just imagining this.

All of a sudden, I felt an arm around me and I jumped, seeing that it was Jerry's arm it belonged to, another slung over Grace's shoulder. "Nice to see you, ladies." Jerry said, and then he winked at Grace, who rolled her eyes. "Come on, you know you love me." And then Jerry kissed her cheek. Yeah, that's right. They were kind of together. They'd had a thing going on for a while, I'm sure, but they finally started dating a few months back. I remember Grace came back from their first date, gushing about how much of an idiot he was, and how his table manners sucked. But she still liked him.

Grace smiled, her nose brushing against the Columbian's, and then she started caressing his cheek, but then slapped it. "You're cute." Their relationship was an odd one, one minute they were arguing, the next they were making out, but I thought it was really cute. They belonged together.

I unhooked my arm from Grace's, and looked at Kelsey. "Well, where's my locker?"

"Follow the leader," Kelsey said, and led me to the group of lockers, straight ahead. Oh, so I wasn't going to have to walk very far in the mornings. She put her hand on the one more to the right, patting it, smiling. "This is yours."

I gulped. I didn't know the combination, but I took a wild guess anyways and put in my birthday. It opened. Anyone could break into this thing. I was really going to have to change it. When I saw how I'd decorated my locker, I nearly burst into tears. I remembered it.

I didn't get a chance to put my bag inside of it, because I was ambushed from behind by my boyfriend. He picked me up and swirled me around as I burst into giggles. "Jack!" I shrieked. "Put me down!" He better, because if I throw up, I'd be happy to throw up on him. He obeyed, putting me back down.

"You're back!" He said, his lopsided smile growing on his lips, but then it dropped. "Is that my jacket?"

"You need to stop wearing black," I said, rolling my eyes. I'd been doing a good job so far. Today he was wearing a red-stripped T-shirt with his usual black jeans – hey. We all had to start somewhere. Now I need to convince him to cut his hair. "I'm doing you a favor."

"Continue doing me the favor," Jack winked. "It looks good on you." I felt my face flushed, but as usual, Jack kept his cool.

I don't know why I never thought of Jack in such a way before. I was too busy thinking about popularity that I never really paid any attention to getting a guy that would actually make me feel like I'm loved, and not just a girl to grant him social status. Even though I felt in the beginning that I loved Jack, I can feel myself actually gaining romantic feelings for him. He was the noun and the verb of the perfect boyfriend, I think. Even if he was a little music obsessed and seemed to testify in my choice of good music – it's fine. I'm glad we're different.

Kelsey sighed. "Okay. You guys can make out and stuff. I'm going to go find Milton. I need to copy off someone's algebra." And then she was off.

"People can see us," I said as Jack's face started coming closer to mine. "I don't feel like answering any questions, you know. I have enough on my plate."

Jack smirked. "I'll answer the questions. You just have to focus catching up with us, okay?" I nodded, and Jack placed a long and sweet peck on my lips. When I opened my eyes, he sighed, and caressed my cheek and blinked. "Kim, what's that on your neck?"

Oh no. He could see it? I face palmed in embarrassment. Jack raised an eyebrow at me, and I felt cheeks blush. I started stuttering and stammering, trying to get my words out, but all that seemed to come out was, "well – I – no – yes – ugh – oh no."

Jack laughed. "Don't worry. I can just see it because I'm close." I felt a little wave of relief wash over me. "But if anyone sees, I'll know who's been trying to pull a move on you today … or the other way around."

"You know I'd never do that," I gave him the puppy dog eyes, and he rolled his. I didn't know if I would never do it. I was still on the journey to finding myself. The bell rang in the background and I sighed. "I remember hating school now."

"I like school," Jack said, and then we both burst into giggles. "At least we have first period together."

"Yeah, because everybody just loves chemistry," I sighed, but then I relaxed as Jack's hand took mine, our fingers weaving together. I felt safer, and more at home. I exhaled.

But then I felt a presence upon us, and I quickly turned my head, seeing nobody was even watching us. The hallways had become empty, everybody rushing from their lockers to their lessons. Nobody was watching us.

"_Come intact with reality."_

I dusted the feeling off my shoulder, and turned back to Jack as started our trip to chemistry.

**:.:.:.:.: **

Lunch actually came quicker than I thought. I'd had most of my friends in my classes, so I was having a good time at school. When lunch came, though, I was frozen next to the lunch line, my filled tray in my hands, overlooking the cafeteria. So much had changed since I'd left. I realized Donna had recruited a new posse, which consisted of Heather and Claire. I looked for Brody and Frank, and I saw them sitting with all the other footballs. Everything seemed to make more sense to me.

I saw my friends sitting at our special table, full of different cultures. We were all so different, but still managed to have a good time together. That's what friends were. People who were able to enjoy each other's company.

God. I sound like a nun.

My legs brought me to our table, and I took a seat in between Kelsey and Eddie. Jerry was talking crazy mad Spanish, and Grace covered his mouth with her hand. "Calm down. Milton, you know how Jerry feels about you bringing up crackers in the middle of lunch."

"It's about time I get him back for all the wedgies he gave me," Milton pointed his salad fork accusingly at Jerry, who licked Grace's hand, causing her to slap him. "Thank you, Grace."

Julie pouted. "Milton, you have to let loose. Let your hair down. I'm forcing you to join us at the dojo this afternoon. I swear, you'll love it." That's another change in this life. I did karate. I used to never take interest at it, but now, I really enjoy it, and I'm pretty good too. I think I did karate in a previous life.

Milton shook his head. "No, no, and no."

"Who else is Phil going to trust with Tootsie?"

"Still no."

"You love Tootsie."

"No."

"Sheesh," Kelsey stabbed her fork into her pasta. "You seemed to be happy this morning, but then again, you are Milton. The same Milton who PMSes more than my grandmother, and she is far past that stage."

"Why are you talking about such things when I'm eating," Eddie said, his mouth full. "It's not cool yo."

"You know what's also not cool?" Grace said, turning onto her other side, staring at the person next to her. Jack. He was eating quietly, but only now I realized why. He was listening to music. "You'd think because his girlfriend's here, he's try to show some manners." Grace took the Beats on his ears, and grabbed them, sending his iPod flying into the air.

"What the hell?" Jack shrilled.

"He talked," Milton groaned. "It's a miracle."

Grace handed me the headphones. "Don't give them back. He needs to start paying attention."

I winked. "I agree." I put the Beats around my neck, and I could already hear the music. "Jack, if you keep it up, you'll be deaf by the time you're my mother's age." I started bobbing my head to the music, and I saw a smile on Jack's face. I put the headphones on, and I felt the music boom loudly in my ears. I knew this song. I started singing along very quietly, taking a bite out of my food. I saw that everyone's expression around the tables had changed from cheerful to freaked out.

Was my singing that bad?

I took the headphones off. "Kim. We need to talk to you." My heart stopped, and I turned my head, seeing Donna and Brody standing behind my chair.

"You better move, hoe, before I go all ghetto," Grace said, narrowing her eyes.

"Calm your bits, Grace," Jerry stroked his girlfriend's hair. "The swag master will calm his baby, ain't that right?"

Grace scowled at the Latino. "I am on the brink of skinning you alive Jerry."

"It's urgent, Kim," Brody said. "And we were wondering if we could talk to you alone." I didn't want to talk to them. I didn't even want to look them in the eyes. When Jack told me what had happened, I was shocked at how much of a bitch Donna really was. I broke out crying, I remember, and I can feel the tears coming back now.

"Please?" Donna added, her voice unbelievably small.

"Just go," My head turned to Jack, and I saw his gaze turn to Brody. He didn't need to say anything for them to be uncomfortable. Just at how coldly he was staring at them made Kim shiver.

I got up from my seat, and slowly followed Brody and Donna out the cafeteria and into the hallway. When we were sure we were alone, Donna cleared her throat. "Listen, Kim. I'm so sorry. About everything. What I did was really bad, and nobody deserves that, even if you did call me a whore. I am. What I did was pretty bad. I just wanted to get back at you. Truth is … I love Brody, and he loves me, and that's why we did what we did. We never meant to hurt you, but we couldn't keep such feelings trapped away forever." Where had I heard that before? "But it still doesn't make what we did right. And I'm so sorry, Kim. I never meant to betray you, or make you feel like a loser …" Donna started sobbing, her shoulders shaking now, and Brody rubbed her arm, also looking a little upset.

"I'm sorry too, Kim," Brody said. "I am such an asshole for doing that to you. It's just, then, it didn't seem like much of a problem, because I'd always thought you were cheating on me with Jack." He did? "And I saw how you looked at him, and I was a little jealous, and you'd never looked at me that way. But kudos to you, for trying to stay faithful, when really, there was just no spark anymore. I ruined it for both of us, didn't I?" Brody's eyes started watering as well, but he kept the tears back. "I was there the night you got hit, and I felt it was my fault then, and it was. And the second time, it was my fault again. It's okay if you hate me, because I'd hate me too."

This was all so overwhelming, and unbelievable. Donna and Brody? Sorry? That was a surprise. I don't remember Donna apologizing to anybody ever. It was amazing. I know I should be hating them with a burning kind of hate, but I couldn't help but feel believed them, and still trusted them.

"I forgive you guys," I said, and Donna looked up at me, her eyes red from the tears.

"You do?" She sounded unconvinced.

I sighed. "It should be impossible, but I forgive you. I'm not like you guys anymore. I don't need revenge or to torment anybody to get my way. I can just do it by forgiving them. Everyone makes mistakes – but it only counts if it's done once, you know?" They both nodded. "I don't want to hate you guys. You're my friends." I pulled them all into a group hug, and squeezed them as we all laughed in unison. I don't know why. Things had been serious for too long.

When we all pulled away, Donna sniffed and wiped her nose with her sleeve. "Oh look at me, with my soggy nose. Gross. I need a bathroom." Donna and Brody turned, hand in hand, and started to walk away. They did make a good couple. "Oh, and Kim?" Donna said, turned around. "I'm happy that you ended up with Jack. You two look happy together."

I was happy.

I sighed, and turned around, going back into the cafeteria.

**:.:.:.:.:**

**JACK**

I was punching and kicking at the dummy before me, and I felt sweat running down my forehead. I hadn't felt this much adrenaline in such a long time. Karate used to be my passion, and I can remember now why. It used to make me feel so free, let out all of my anger in something I was really good at.

I stopped kicking when I heard crying coming from next to me. It was our sensei, Rudy. He was pretty awesome, and really funny too. Reminds me of my father before he went all bastard on our family – someone I looked up to me. I knew I could trust Rudy, though. It was just something you could see by looking at him. "So … excellent!" Rudy whined. "I need a tissue! I need a tissue!"

"No," Grace said flatly, stopping still from sparring with Eddie. It was like sparring with stuffed bear. Easy. But he was becoming better and better everyday, so it became even more of a challenge. "Get it yourself. Well, if Tip-Tip hasn't gotten a hold of them." He was a pretty vicious cat.

When Kim came out of the locker rooms in her sweat pants and tank top, I was again blown away by her beauty. And to think, this time a year ago, I wouldn't even think about her as much as I do today. So much had changed. And it was all for the better. She ran towards me, and jumped onto me, like a monkey, and we both landed onto the floor. I was laughing, but her face was angry.

"JACK. Where is my bag?" She screamed. She started smacking my torso, but I continued to laugh. "Give." Smack. "Me." Smack. "My." Smack. "Bag." Smack. "NOW." I may have taken it once, just playing along with Jerry's practical joke, but it didn't mean I was the prime suspect all the time now.

I coughed. "What about Jerry? He most probably took it."

Kim climbed off of me, and sighed, looking at the boys' locker rooms, and then back at me, a smug smile on her face. "Jacky poo." I thought we agreed to not give each other animal pet names. "You know I love you right?" Wasn't this woman just beating me a couple of seconds ago.

I shook my head. "Sorry, Kim. I'm in the zone right now."

"I'll bring you out of your zone," Kim winked, sinking down to my level. But instead on her lips meeting with my lips, they met with my neck, and I freaked out. Kim knows how tickly I am in my neck. I shrieked (a little like a girl) and accidently whacked her away. She was still laughing.

"If you guys are going to play games, I suggest you go do it in the locker rooms, away from everyone else's view," Rudy said, and Kim blushed.

"I'm up, I'm up," I said, jumping up from my preposition, and I was storming to the girls' locker room. Knowing Jerry, he would have framed somebody else. His own girlfriend. The locker room was empty, luckily, but girl clothes were scattered everywhere. There was a disturbing purple bra lying on the floor, but I simply stepped over it. I went over to Grace's familiar locker (I could see her bag strap sticking out of the closed locker) and I opened it without trouble. It was open. And inside, I saw Grace's bag, and I recognized a blue Ripcurl one behind it. Kim's.

Case closed.

I took the bag out from the locker, but something dropped from it. A notebook. Kim's diary, to be exact. So Kim had continued to write down her thoughts. I don't think Mrs. Standers told her to, and I knew how much of a problem she had with this whole therapy thing. I knew I shouldn't have done so, but I couldn't help but take a little peak. Technically, I was just looking out for her, seeing how she was doing. I turned to a random page, and began reading.

_Today was really nice. I relaxed most of the time, and I went shopping with Julie and Grace. We got really nice outfits to wear to Kelsey's birthday party, which is coming up really soon. After the shopping, I had this really little strange moment when I heard my mom speaking to me from the kitchen, telling me the house was burning down, when she was actually getting milk from the supermarket. _

_It scared me shitless, to say the least._

_So I rushed to Jack's, and somehow, doing that always makes me feel better. I can't believe that I never used to even notice his existence. Now a life without him sounds a little impossible. Jack doesn't know it, but I listened to him (with Alison, lol) play his guitar, even though I'd heard it before. _

_I've been his girlfriend forever now, and you'd think he'd be comfortable to play in front of me, but when I ask him about it, he gets all intense, and nervous. He is really good. I mean, REALLY good. He can't hide it forever. _

_I really hope he doesn't. _

I stopped there, and idea popping into my head. I guess it is time I come out of my comfort zone and play in front of her. It would be cute, and I know she'd like it. I felt a smile growing on my face.

I knew just what song to ambush her with.

**:.:.:.:.:**

_**Two Days Later …**_

**:.:.:.:.:**

Okay, now I'm worried. It's been almost a day since I'd seen Kim. A day. I've looked for her at home, she wasn't there. I looked at Grace's, Kelsey's and Julie's but she wasn't there either. I had half the mind to send a search party for her. She's been gone the whole Saturday, and I really wanted to see her. I tried the dojo, but it was just Eddie and Kelsey there, spending some time alone, trying to perfect their skills. I checked in all of Kim's favorite places, even the music store, which was mine, and she'd grown to like.

But she was nowhere to be found.

This was even harder because all I had for travel a skateboard, and the guitar case on my back was weighing me down.

I don't know what made me do it, but I decided to try the park. The park was where I'd go to get away. I remember I used to go to my old park back home, when life was still perfect. Not that it wasn't perfect now. It was just fine.

When I hopped off my skateboard and put it under my armpit, I looked around the landscape. The park near Kim's was pretty beautiful and a little cliché. There were perfect jungle gyms and slides, a birdbath, and a series of benches around the lot. The clouds were upset today, and very grey. It didn't look as if summer were on the way at all.

I looked around, and spotted blonde hair right ahead, by the swings. The swing was still, and so was the girl. I knew automatically it was Kim, and I ran towards her. When I did, her head whipped back, in surprise, but when she saw it was I, she calmed down. "Oh, hi, Jack."

"Where have you been?" I asked her, blowing my top. Hey! She'd been missing all day, I was worried. "You know how worried sick I've been?"

"I needed some time alone," Kim said, her voice serious, her eyes looking out into the distance. "I just needed to think." I looked down at her lap, seeing she had a pen and paper with her. On the paper, though, was something amazing.

The most amazing drawing I'd ever seen in my life.

"What's that?" I asked her, and Kim shrugged, passing the sketchpad down to me. I skimmed through it, seeing pictures of a bunny, Kim's favorite flowers (orange roses) and then my eyes stopped on one picture, just admiring it's beauty. It was so deep, so unlike Kim. She was so chilled and playful. Seeing something like this come from her was a surprised. Dam. She could draw. It was a huge eyes, with the landscape of the park drawn inside of it.

"This is beautiful," I whispered.

"Thank you," Kim said.

I looked up at her, seeing her hair blowing in the slight wind. It was curled today. I've recognized she's been alternating. I looked back down at the picture. "Is there a meaning behind it?"

Kim took the pad back and started directing her finger at each detail as she explained the concept of the drawing. "Well, the eye's mine. And the park which I've drawn inside of it represents what I've been going through. At first, the land is bare, and blank, but then as you started to look at it from a wider perspective, flowers are starting to grow, trees as well, and everything starts becoming bright and beautiful."

That's really insightful. "You have a talent."

Kim smiled. "Thank you … again. So, what did you want to find me for? Must have been really urgent, you being 'worried sick'."

"Oh, it's urgent," I said and took my guitar case down from my back, and placing it on the ground in front of me, giving me some space to seat myself in the swing beside Kim, opening the case and taking out my acoustic guitar. Kim was smiling widely now as I positioned the guitar on my lap. "I read a little bit of your diary at the dojo the other day …"

"Wait, what?"

"Wa-wa-wait, wait," I calmed Kim down before she would explode. "And I read that you wanted me to play you a song on my guitar, since I've never opened up to you in that way before – even before the accident. And since you just shared your talent with a pencil with me, I'll share mine, only with a guitar."

"What are you playing?" she asked me, tucking in hair behind her hair.

I answered her question by beginning to strum. My fingers hit the strings, the picking pattern rhythm starting to come to me. The chords were hit accurately and beautiful music was soon released into the atmosphere. I swayed my head to my playing, the feeling of the music starting to take over my limbs. I started to feel free, as if I was starting to escape.

"How did you know?" Kim said in the middle of the song, swaying her head as well, her eyes closed.

"You told me that Skinny Love was your favorite song of all time," I said, laughing, almost losing focus in what I was doing, but I quickly re-tracked. "I thought it would be the perfect song to play."

Kim laughed. "You seem to do it better than Bon Iver does." I laughed at this. I'd had to listen to the song, of course, to learn how to play it. It was nice and calming. It was actually good music. I wish I'd listened to Kim earlier about it. "I can feel myself coming intact with reality."

I abruptly stopped, the chords echoing faintly in the air. I looked at Kim. What was going on in that head of hers? "Kim, what's wrong? You seem a little distant."

Kim laughed. "Believe it or not, this is exactly how you act all the time. I'm just in the zone, thinking over a few things. Life had been such a train smash, and now everything's starting to go smoothly. I can feel myself coming into control with what I feel and when. It feels … great." Kim opened her eyes now, and she looked at me. "This was meant to happen – us. But I just wish there was another way it could have been done."

"Me too," I said honestly. I reached out and got hold of her hand. She smiled at me and sighed, squeezing my hand.

"I used to be such a bad person, my life all figured out," Kim said. "I was everyone's vision of perfect. But now I'm a screw up. But I'd rather be. I've felt like I've had my eyes closed all this time, and it's taken me so long to just open them, realize everything I've ever wanted was always right in front of me." Kim started laughing, and for a second there, I'd thought she really has gone insane. But I saw she was just happy, and free. She said something else, though. Something that seemed to change us both in that moment, and I'd realized how long we'd come.

"But now I'm sure of everything, because now, I'm wide awake."

**:.:.:.:.:**

**Moments of impact. **

**These moments of impact, the flashes of high intensity that completely turn our lives upside down actually end up to finding who we are. A moment of impact has pontiental for change, has ripple affects far beyond what we can protect; sending some particles crashing together, making them closer than before, while sending off others spinning into great ventures, ending where you never thought you'd find them. **

**You see, that's the thing about moments like these. You can't, no matter how hard you try, control how they're going to affect you. You've just got to let the flying particles land where they may. **

**The Vow**

**:.:.:.:.:**

**Author's Note:**

_I hope you guys are all satisfied with the ending! I know it's a little abrupt and the chapter seems a little rushed, but there's not much left to do, you know? It leaves you thinking a little, kind of, if you know what I mean. That's the end. :'( Oh my word, I'm going to cry. I'm going to miss writing for this story so much, but that means I'm going to get started on another, and I'll carry on with She Can't Sleep. I've been neglecting that fanfiction for a while. _

_I normally do shout outs, but I seriously can't right now. So many people to shout out too. BUT JUST KNOW, THAT I LOVE ALL OF YOU GUYS ALL SO FREAKING MUCH, TO THE MOON AND BACK AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SUPPORTING ME AND THIS STORY. I SERIOUSLY COULDN'T ASK FOR MORE AMAZING PEOPLE THAN YOU LOT. :') Look at me, I'm getting all emotional. _

_My next story is going to be based on dance. 9: I've recently watched Step Up 4 (amazing move, by the way) and I was inspired to write a Kickin' It fanfiction of them dancing and stuff, instead of doing karate and all that jazz. And it would be easier, since I dance and I know what's cooking. (: It's going to be called The Beauty And The Beat (yes, like the Justin Bieber and Nicki Minaj song, but it is not a songfic, I assure you. I just couldn't think of a better name) so please look out for it! :D I'm planning for it to be errrrpic! :D_

_Again, thank you so much, guys, for supporting me :') I love you guys. I'm really sleepy, so I'm going to make this short - good night … for when night coming to you guys. Heehee. Review anyways (I know, this is the part where you groan) please and tell me your overall opinion on the story. (: It would mean a lot. If you didn't like the chapter, maybe I could fix up another. (: _

_Well, everyone, keep amazing!_

_Nia (: xoxo_


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